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Urgency to act now for climate justice

Participating in the COP26 in Glasgow resembled a reunion of sorts. After the pandemic cancelled meetings of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Working Group on Climate Change and led to the rescheduling COP26, it was wonderful to catch up with my ecumenical friends who are devoted to the work of climate justice.

ZacTax Toolkit

The Zacchaeus Tax Campaign calls for a global tax and economic system that acts like Zacchaeus, the tax collector who repented of his wicked ways, which delivers equity and makes reparation for exploitation and injustice.

This ZacTax Toolkit aims to educate and enable churches to organise around the issue of tax justice, the campaign has recently released the ZacTax Toolkit. It is published by the New International Financial and Economic Architecture initiative (NIFEA), a joint effort by the Council for World Mission, Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches, World Council of Churches, and World Methodist Council. Funding is provided by Otto per Mille.

Stop Hoping. Start Resisting.

If you try hard and believe in the power of positive thinking, you may be able to take comfort that COP26 provided some hope. But if you remove the rose-colored spectacles, it becomes clear that we should abandon the sentiment of hope and commit to lives of faithful resistance.

Returning to where everything started

As people of faith concerned about the climate crisis, there are two origin stories that may guide and concern us as we ponder how we ought to live in the world today. One is the Genesis story, which establishes our faith in the God of Creation, and our particular role in nature. Another, is the story that started years ago on the same soil and the same river where COP26 is taking place today.

At COP26, “it is like no one emotionally can comprehend what is happening”

Passing through closed streets, groups of cops and demonstrations to get to the Blue Zone is a strange situation for someone with roots in the Christian activist environment. I walk with the badge around my neck but I try to cover it with my jacket until I get to the first security check before entering the Blue Zone, the place where the negotiations happen. Thousands of people gather in the Blue Zone, the observers, the delegations, the press, the staff. It is like a small society here, a society under the UN flag that exists only for a couple of weeks. 

Climate change: a stage for world political leaders—and a question of our hearts

COP26 in Glasgow started this week, offering a stage for world political leaders. For most of them, it was an opportunity to share their vision of the world they are leading. For some others, despite being among the most powerful, COP26 is also an opportunity to express their position on the major challenge of humanity in the 21st century by their absence. What did we hear in the first two days of this COP?

COP26: historic moment into what really matters to sustain life

The highly anticipated, long awaited COP26 began 31 October. It has now been six years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement at COP21 and much remains to be implemented in order to fulfil the promises agreed to at that historic moment by the member states. We knew then that the road ahead would be challenging and that changing our systems would require a radical shift in policies and behaviours—but we were hopeful. 

Pacific islands in peril, local churches' leader stresses before COP26

The Pacific islands are in grave danger and at the frontline of global climate change, so that is why the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, known as COP26, in Glasgow is so important for islanders, says Rev. James Bhagwan. He is general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, a Methodist minister based in Fiji, and visited Geneva on his way to COP26, in Scotland's biggest city, Glasgow, from 31 October to 12 November.

Let the food systems nourish people and the planet rather than feed the profits of the privileged

The food system is a complex web of activities involving production, processing, transport, and consumption. Key issues concerning the food system include how food production affects the natural environment, the impact of food on individual and population health, the governance and economics of food production, its sustainability, and the degree to which we waste food.

Walk the Talk

A Toolkit to Accompany the "Roadmap for Congregations, Communities and Churches for an Economy of Life and Ecological Justice"

“Walk the Talk” builds on Roadmap for Congregations, Communities and Churches for an Economy of Life and Ecological Justice,” a 5-step programme to change the way we deal with the economy and our ecological surroundings.

This toolkit aims to enthuse congregations and churches through concrete examples of communities in action as well as offer good practices and practical materials to “walk the talk” on economic and ecological justice, in each of the areas:

  • Living in Accordance with the Covenant with God and Creation
  • Renewable Energy and Climate Protection
  • Just and Sustainable Consumption
  • Economies of Life

Climate change in Switzerland

It seems strange to put Switzerland in a line with other countries affected by climate change: not because we don’t suffer from climate change as well but because we, as Swiss people, should be very aware of how our problems stand in relation to our wealth.