WCC NEWS: Raising ethical dimensions in debate on climate justice

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World Council of Churches - News

RAISING ETHICAL DIMENSIONS IN DEBATE ON CLIMATE JUSTICE

For immediate release: 22 September 2011

Climate change is impacting human life and nature in severe ways. Yet it
is the vulnerable who suffer most. As the life of such people is dependent
on eco-systems for survival, churches join hands with other faith based
organizations to support their cause, stressing an ethical aspect in the
debate on climate change.

“Faith based organizations articulate concerns of the marginalized
communities and bring their issues to mainstream forums. It is obligatory
therefore to address climate change and its impact on human rights, as
faith traditions signify care for the environment,” says Nafisa
D’Souza, a climate justice advocate from India.

D’Souza was speaking at an event on climate change and human rights
titled “Bridging the Gap: Faith and Ethics Perspectives” organized by
the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Geneva Interfaith Forum on
Climate Change, Environment and Human Rights, in collaboration with the
German Human Rights Forum and United Evangelical Mission (VEM) on 20
September 2011 in Switzerland.

D’Souza is executive director for the Laya Resource Centre
(Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=dacd75550efa85f937a0 ), working 
for
climate justice, with focus on indigenous people in India.
Responsibility for creation

“What we have taken from the earth has destroyed some parts of it.
Ethical concern means that responsibility for creation is to be taken by
all of us. In a polarized world where there is an imbalance of power,
faith based groups are engaging in debate on development and its impact on
climate justice,” D’Souza stated.

D’Souza remains optimistic about the role of faith organizations in
promoting a “pro-people” stance in the debate on climate change.
“Churches and faith based organizations can relate religious ideologies
to a broader ethical perspective. Religions that see themselves as part of
a global reality can support the most affected by climate change. The WCC
is doing this by safeguarding the ethical aspect in a debate for climate
justice,” says D’Souza.

These views were endorsed by Dr Guillermo Kerber, WCC programme executive
on climate change. Speaking on behalf of the WCC and the Geneva Interfaith
Forum, he says, “Churches and faith based organizations acknowledge the
various dimensions of climate change. They are witnessing how climate
change is affecting vulnerable communities on the ground, especially those
who have a strong link to nature and those who are extremely dependent on
the environment. Being aware that these populations have contributed less
to climate change, it becomes evident that climate change has an ethical
dimension.”

Diverse perspectives on climate change and human rights were shared by
other panellists. Sophia Wirsching from Brot für die Welt (Bread for the
World, Germany) especially focused on climate displaced people and their
rights, while Theodor Rathgeber, from the German Human Rights Forum,
assessed the present negotiations of climate change and human rights at
the Human Rights Council. The moderator of the discussion was Valeriane
Bernard from Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University and Geneva
Interfaith Forum.

Presentations were followed by discussions, where Hendrik Garcia, from the
Philippines diplomatic mission brought participants’ attention to a
draft resolution on climate change and human rights that it has initiated
along with Bangladesh mission. Panellists appreciated the effort, while
stressing their expectation of a more ambitious position from the Human
Rights Council and the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

As churches and faith based organizations prepare for a stronger impact at
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change conference COP
17 in Durban, South Africa from 28 November to 9 December 2011, a “Call
for Action (Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=f7f1185d446b5bebfb26
)” was signed urging “responsibilities of the States in the area of
climate change, adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer and funding”
and “reaffirming the role of faith traditions to care for the
environment and addressing climate change”.

WCC campaign for climate justice:
www.oikoumene.org/climatechange (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=a205fb1238e57cd86238 )

Full text of the Call for Action (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=4470f10d719a980ab275 )


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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