Feature story
Frederique Seidel, WCC senior programme lead for Children and Climate, shared how WCC supports churches on legal action about financial institutions harming communities and ecosystems.
The Verde Island Passage spans five provinces in the Philippines. It draws 2.6 million overnight tourists annually and supports fishing communities across the region. "Sixty percent of the known shark and fish species are in the Verde Island Passage," Dacanay said. The area was recently designated a Hope Spot for its marine biodiversity. Six fossil gas power plants and two liquefied natural gas terminals now operate there, with additional projects proposed.
Fisherfolk report sharp declines since the plants began operating. "Before they said they were getting 15 to 20 kilos of fish in one catch," Dacanay said. "Now on a lucky day, they could get like a maximum of five kilos." Communities describe "a very strong plastic smell every time the gas power plant is operating" and "very loud noise from the gas power plant that causes them sleepless nights."
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Angelica Dacanay from the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED).
Gloria Charles/WCC
The campaign sheds light on the harms caused by banks directly through shareholder meetings and formal complaints. Community leaders have spoken at UBS and BNP Paribas shareholder meetings. Campaigners filed a complaint with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, which financed one of the liquefied natural gas terminals. The campaign also conducts independent air and water quality monitoring to counter industry data and is building a regional network across Southeast Asia to challenge similar fossil gas expansion in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
The campaign has already had some tangible success. One proposed liquefied natural gas terminal was cancelled.The Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources must now establish water quality guidelines and designate "non-attainment areas" where polluting projects would be barred.
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Photo:
Gloria Charles/WCC
Seidel described WCC's expanding work on financial accountability and climate justice. "We help churches to save children’s lives through climate litigation, with a focus on financial actors," she said, supporting churches in filing a soft law complaint and "developing two to three hard law cases by churches about financial institutions." The programme aims to "sensitize on this blind spot for many people who have not imagined that they're harming children through their bank accounts."
WCC and the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development discussed how to connect member churches with campaigners across Southeast Asia, where similar fossil gas expansion threatens coastal communities. They also talked about documenting harms to children and vulnerable populations for advocacy campaigns and legal challenges.
Churches’ Commitments to Children
