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The charter asks all institutions to act towards a carbon-free environment and requires them to fulfil five commitments, including measuring the carbon footprint of their activities; carrying out an initial assessment of their situation on one or possibly more sustainability sectors; defining and implementing an action plan; sharing the action plan with 2050Today; and communicating their climate action.
Rev. Dr Kuzipa Nalwamba, WCC programme director for Unity, Mission, and Ecumenical Formation, offered remarks at the signing ceremony, and WCC finance director Stylianos Pappas attended the ceremony on behalf of the WCC.
“The WCC has been reflecting on sustainability in relation to poverty since the early 1970s, long before the concept gained currency in international politics and business,” said Nalwamba.
The WCC participated in the United Nations (UN) Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and in the first Conference of Parties (COP) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1995.
“Since then, WCC has attended every COP event, advocating for climate justice and support for poor and vulnerable countries and communities who are least responsible for the climate crisis but suffer its worst effects,” said Nalwamba.
Reconciliation expresses itself in concrete actions, Nalwamba continued. “The WCC has produced several resources for our member churches to continue to nurture a care-for-creation ethos,” she said. “”Our shared sustainable principles within Geneva, and across the world are cumulative and will take effect quicker only as we combine our efforts.”
Nalwamba concluded “A case in point is our real estate project in Geneva called “Green Village”, The Green Village, the first Geneva property development with the "One Planet Living" (OPL) label will positively impact greenhouse gas emissions by implementing a range of environmentally friendly practices.”
“ Initiated by the WCC, Green Village will provide six new buildings in the municipality of Le Grand-Saconnex, arranged around the Ecumenical Centre, WCC’s historic listed building. Each building will symbolically bear the name of a key international treaty in sustainable development: Kyoto, Montreal, Rio, Lima, Durban and Stockholm.”
