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“If we should be true to our faith, we cannot be quiet when we see what is happening,” reads the declaration of the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to the United Nations climate change summit COP25 taking place in Madrid, Spain, 2-13 December. “We are voices that are driven by hope and compassion. In a most urgent situation to bend the emissions down faith traditions must contribute to the urgent transformation.”
Working together at COP25, the group has been seeking “to offer a positive and empowering voice of hope over fear, of compassion over indifference, and urgent and fair action as a moral obligation.”
The declaration “Faith communities demand climate justice,” was handed to the deputy executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Ovais Sarmad, in a meeting on 9 December at COP25 by a group of ten people representing different parts of the world, indigenous people, youth, and different religions.
Inspired by the conviction that faith traditions from all over the world can be the pivotal force in coming to terms with the climate emergency, the group has a long history of participation in key international events related to climate change.
“Too often the importance of our values, spirituality and faith traditions are ignored by those trying to solve the climate crisis,” reads the text of the interfaith declaration, which was already signed by over 20 different faith-based organizations and individual faith leaders.
Read the full text of the declaration
WCC Executive Committee Statement on Climate Change Emergency (November 2019)
“We have the mission to care for God’s creation”, says Brazilian church leader at COP25 - WCC news release 10 December 2019
“See humans as part of creation” in addressing climate emergency" - WCC news release 6 December 2019
"A holistic approach to climate change" - WCC news release 3 December 2019
"Interfaith dialogue prior to COP25 calls for unity, action to confront climate crisis" - WCC news release 3 December 2019
Learn more about the WCC work on Care for Creation and Climate Justice
