LWF and ecumenical partners urge global action for biodiversity and climate justice

LWF and ecumenical partners urge global action in addressing interconnected crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

06 Nov 2024
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In Colombia’s Arauca region, where extractive industries have destroyed entire ecosystems, local farmers participate in an LWF-supported reforestation and land recovery project. Photo: LWF Colombia

In Colombia’s Arauca region, where extractive industries have destroyed entire ecosystems, local farmers participate in an LWF-supported reforestation and land recovery project. Photo: LWF Colombia

LWF, ACT, and WCC issue joint statement following COP16 in Colombia

(LWI) –The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) joined its global ecumenical partners in urging governments to address the interconnected crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

In a joint statement following the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16) in Cali, Colombia, 21 October-1 November, LWF, ACT Alliance and the World Council of Churches (WCC) called for “concrete actions to restore our relationship with nature” and with “the other species with whom we share the planet.”

We believe that promoting just relationships requires ethical and constructive dialogue between the natural, social, and theological sciences, as well as traditional knowledge and wisdom

LWF, ACT and WCC

The LWF and its partners reaffirmed the shared “commitment to play an essential role in protecting biodiversity and the health of the planet” and the urgent need to act amid the “climate crisis that is devastating our ecosystems.”

Ms Nathaly Quito, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO) represented the LWF at COP16. She underlined joint action with indigenous peoples and incorporating their ancestral knowledge, women’s leadership in environmental protection, and the active contribution of children and young people as advocates for nature. “This synergy enables a fair and equitable distribution of caring responsibilities in response to the climate crisis,” she said.

Urging governments to guarantee inclusive dialogues that empower these groups, LWF, ACT Alliance and WCC stated “their leadership is crucial to preserving life on our planet.”

The ecumenical partners also emphasized the importance of financial commitments, particularly from developed countries, to address these crises. They called for increased financing to support biodiversity and climate efforts, alongside a push for all nations to present integrated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) that address climate risks and the vulnerabilities impacting their ecosystems and biodiversity.

Public Statement

October 2024

ACT, LWF, and WCC: A Call to Action for Biodiversity and Climate Justice at COP16

As part of COP16 in Cali, churches and faith-based organizations recognize that biodiversity loss has reached alarming levels, driven by an extractivist economic system and worsened by the impacts of climate change.

The ACT Alliance, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and the World Council of Churches (WCC) reaffirm our commitment to play an essential role in protecting biodiversity and the health of the planet. We understand the urgent need to act in the face of the climate crisis that is devastating our ecosystems. We believe that promoting just relationships requires ethical and constructive dialogue between the natural, social, and theological sciences, as well as traditional knowledge and wisdom. Each area of knowledge contributes to our collective reflection on what it means to be human and how we should act to safeguard the peace and well-being of all creatures, for both this generation and those to come.

In this regard, the protection of biodiversity must be an unwavering priority for governments, emphasizing its central role in tackling environmental and climate challenges and fostering peace. This commitment must align with respect for the rights of Indigenous peoples, youth, women and girls in all their diversity, and historically marginalized communities, using a human rights-based approach. These communities not only experience firsthand the consequences of climate change but are also stewards of biodiversity. Their leadership is crucial to preserving life on our planet. We urge governments to ensure inclusive dialogue that facilitates the effective participation of all stakeholders. Only in this way can fair and sustainable solutions for the well-being of our common home be developed.

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C is critical, as climate change is not only a major cause of biodiversity loss but also exacerbates this crisis. Achieving this goal requires the fair and equitable elimination of fossil fuel use, as they are one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Only through a transition to renewable and sustainable energy sources, combined with firm policies and global commitments to align financial flows with the Paris Agreement, can we effectively mitigate climate change effects and protect biodiversity.

Furthermore, mobilizing the necessary resources to address the nature and climate crises demands political leadership and action, particularly from developed countries. Increasing financing to tackle these two global environmental crises is vital. The ability to meet commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework will depend directly on the provision and mobilization of financial flows.

Additionally, it is crucial that all governments present their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), ensuring that these are not isolated documents but are effectively linked to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Such synergies are essential for a coherent and efficient approach to both climate action and biodiversity protection.

Finally, as churches and faith-based organizations, we promote the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity and call for an urgent restructuring of power relations, the recognition of the rights of nature, and the transformation of the current extractivist economic model, which has contributed to biodiversity degradation and further exacerbated the climate crisis. A new social pact is imperative to address the root causes of the destruction we are witnessing.

This COP16 must lead to concrete actions to restore our relationship with nature—actions for ourselves, for the other species with whom we share the planet, and for future generations. This is our turn. Now is our time.

 

Read the full statement in English, en Español

A Call to Action for Biodiversity and Climate Justice at COP16
Un Llamado a la Acción por la Biodiversidad y la Justicia Climática en la COP16

LWF/P. Mumia