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As the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting commenced in Davos beginning 15 January, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay urged the gathering to renew its commitment to multilateral cooperation for the longer-term good of all people. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee, meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, from 8-14 November, released a statement on COP28’s responsibility for climate justice. 

Statement on the Worsening Global Food Crisis by the Executive committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting via video conference on 22-26 May 2023.

Statement from the Faith-Based Organizations to the High-Level Ministerial Segment of the 27th Session of the Conference of the Parties – COP27 to the UNFCCC, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, 15 November 2022

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

When approaching the issue of health and wellbeing, we as Christians and churches affirm that the giver and sustainer of life is our Lord Jesus Christ, the healer of our bodies and souls, the one who heals our diseases, who redeems our life from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion (Ps. 103:3-4).

As Christians we confess that “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it” (Ps 24). We acknowledge our responsibility as stewards and caretakers of God’s unique and abundant Creation of which we human beings are part. And yet we look around our world today, and see that due to our greed and negligence the entire living planet is threatened by accelerating climate change. “The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers…”, “The earth is defiled by its people…” (Isaiah 24:4-5).

‘Behold I create new heavens in which life, justice and peace are possible for all’.

(Isaiah  65:17-25)

Indigenous Peoples are created with God-given identities that are beautiful.  God was present in their lands and among their peoples before colonizers arrived. When Christians brought the Bible, Indigenous People recognized the voice of their Creator in Jesus’ teachings. They did not hear a call to reject their identities.

"The Living Planet: Seeking a Just and Sustainable Global Community", Statement by the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany

Statement on the Imperative for Effective Response to the Climate Emergency by the WCC Central Committee meeting, 15-18 June 2022.

 

By the WCC Executive Committee, November 2021.

Time is running out. As the COP26 negotiations reach a critical moment, members of the global faith community, led by our sisters and brothers from the Global South, call for urgent and ambitious action to deliver justice for the most vulnerable people and communities. 

Statement from the Faith-Based Organizations to the High-Level Ministerial Segment of the 26th Session of the Conference of the Parties – COP26 to the UNFCCC, Glasgow, United Kingdom 10 November 2021

Declaration from National Council of Churches in India To the 26^th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP26) Of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Scheduled to open on 31^stOctober 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

As people of faith, we join in committing to pray and act against hunger at this time when 811m people worldwide go to bed hungry each night, hunger has increased globally by 25% since 2019, and across the globe more than 41m people–around half of them children–are at risk of falling into famine in 43 countries.

On 4 October 2021, faith leaders representing the world’s major religions joined scientists at the Vatican to call on the international community to raise their ambition and step up their climate action ahead of COP26. Almost 40 faith leaders signed a joint Appeal, which was presented by Pope Francis to COP26 President-Designate, the Rt Hon Alok Sharma, and the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Luigi Di Maio.