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Groundwater is “a political question”

In many regions, groundwater is being extracted faster than it can be replenished. Groundwater pollution from raw material extraction, industry, private households, and agriculture is also increasing. This year’s UN’s World Water Day focused on groundwater, urging to make “the invisible visible.” A new publication by Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World, Germany), a member of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network, takes up this call and demands the better protection and fairer use of this vital resource.  WCC news talked to co-author Dr Ingrid Jacobsen about the social and political dimension of groundwater.

Seven Weeks for Water 2022, week 6 “Water is a gift of God, a common good and a human right” by Dinesh Suna

The sixth reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2022 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network is written by Dinesh Suna.* In the following reflection ,  he gives a historical background of the WCC's water justice ministry and reaffirms that water is a gift of God, a common good and human right. Taking the inspiration from Isaiah, he calls the churches to become blue communities and say no to privatisation of water and to bottled water.

Seven Weeks for Water 2022, week 5: “Water – a blessing and a threat?”, by Peter Pavlovic

The fifth reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2022 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network is written by Peter Pavlovic.* He reflects that  Europe is a water rich continent, still, a lot of concerns related to water availability persist in the region.  Climate change makes this problem worse, our vulnerability is, as the last IPCC report warns, increasingly exposed.  Faith describes the world as a gift of God given to humanity. Fragility of our existence is closely related to disrespecting the limits of the world in which we live and is rooted in the failure of our relationship with God.

Groundwater: a hidden treasure we need to protect, say EWN members

Groundwater resources are the invisible lifeline of our planet. They provide almost half of all drinking water worldwide, about 40% of water for irrigated agriculture and about one third of the water supply required for industry. Yet many people are unaware of the importance of groundwater. That is why this year’s World Water Day on 22 March focuses on the theme “Groundwater: making the invisible visible.” In this article, members of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network testify to the urgency of protecting our global groundwater.

11th Assembly Bible study - Pentecost

Part of a series of Bible studies in preparation for the WCC 11th Assembly, this seventh text was written by Karen Durant-McSweeney, from Friendship Methodist Church, Friendship Circuit, Guyana.

11th Assembly Bible study - Easter

Part of a series of Bible studies in preparation for the WCC 11th Assembly, this fifth text was written by Bishop Maxim (Vasiljevic), bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and Western America of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

With boldness of faith, joy and peace, Pan African women hold “Ubuntu” gathering

Women of faith who are African or of African descent held a powerful recent gathering, Ubuntu: Remembrance, Diversity, and Advocacy in Unity Now!” in which they shared their call to action with a sense of Sankofa, or a season of now while looking back and forward. The event was organized by the Pan African Women’s Ecumenical Empowerment Network (PAWEEN) and Pan African Women of Faith (PAW).

WCC joins global faith-based organizations calling on World Trade Organization to increase global access to vaccines

During a virtual press conference on 13 December, the World Council of Churches (WCC) joined leaders from the global faith community in releasing a letter signed by 115 organizations, representing five world faith traditions, calling on World Trade Organization member countries to act before years end to waive Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights rules. The faith community spotlighted the moral necessity of increasing access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.