The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has joined calls for more action on climate change in an open letter to world leaders at the COP24 signed by 62 influential Christian leaders, among them WEA's Senior Advisor for Social Justice, Comm. Christine MacMillan. Over 5,000 Christians from across the world have also joined this call in prayer and action.
Open Letter to World Leaders
Climate change is having devastating impacts across the world right now. Rainfall is less reliable, and there are more droughts and more floods. That means for some there is no food to eat, homes are being washed away and communities are being completely destroyed, never to be rebuilt again. The poor are being trapped in intergenerational poverty.
Christians across the world are responding to this urgent issue. From communities already being hit by the changing climate to those who have contributed most to the problem, we are taking action together. Climate change is the greatest challenge to our generation and as recognised in the IPCC report, the time is short to take action. We now ask you to respond by stepping up your climate commitments and implementing policies that put the world on track for 1.5°C.
We’re standing with you, as you work to scale up and implement the Paris Agreement, and we urge you to do more to avert the catastrophic consequences of climate change and to protect the most vulnerable people who are impacted first and most significantly.
We recognise the importance of the Paris Agreement and so we call on you to:
- Step up action, accountability and ambition and agree fair, robust and transparent guidelines to fully implement the Paris Agreement.
- Act now to ramp up legally binding and timebound climate commitments, with strong national policies, to limit global warming to the safe level of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
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Establish trust and credibility in the international process by delivering the $100bn that was promised in 2009. This is urgently needed for the most vulnerable countries to tackle and adapt to climate change – and commit to more of what we know works including:
- Transitioning to 100% renewable energy, particularly using local solar power to reach those in poverty more cheaply, more quickly and more reliably than polluting fossil fuel power plants.
- More sustainable, low-emission agriculture, to stop communities going hungry, and be more resilient to floods and droughts caused by climate change.
This is the greatest challenge of our generation. Every fraction of a degree of warming is going to matter. As Christians we are fully aware of the injustice climate change is bringing to people living in poverty and to our planet. That’s why we are committing to live sustainably, raise our collective voice in advocacy and also pray and worship in a way that inspires great change. The church – the world’s largest network – urges you to lead the way forward and lose no time in stepping up your climate commitments.
Signed by:
Global
Tim Adams Associate General Secretary of IFES
Christine MacMillan Senior Advisor – Social Justice, World Evangelical Alliance
Chris Naylor Executive Director, A Rocha International
Sheryl Haw, International Director, Micah Global
Ruth Faber, CEO EU-CORD
Argentina
Fernando Primo Forgioni Agronomist for Comunidad Y Cambio
Dennis Smith World Mission Regional Liaison for Brazil and the Southern Cone
Australia
Joel McKerrow Writer, Poet, Speaker, Artist and Ambassador for Tear Australia
Mick Pope Professor of Environmental Mission at Missional University
Rev Ray Minniecon Reverend of the Aboriginal Evangelical Fellowship
Matthew Maury CEO of TEAR Australia
Bolivia
Eva Morales President of Latin American Theological Fellowship
Brazil
Timóteo Carriker Pastor and Writer at Igreja Presbiteriana Independente do Brasil
Calebe Rodrigues Soares Santos, Graduando em Engenharia Ambiental na Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Levi Correa de Araújo, Pastor Batista – Membro da Equipe Pastoral da IBAB – Igreja Batista da Água Branca
Ariovaldo Ramos, Lider Frente de Evangélicos pelo Estado de Direito
Welinton Pereira da Silva, Pastor Igreja Metodista
Caio Fabio D’araujo Filho – Pastor, Theologian, Writer, Youtuber
Marcos Elias da Silva Presidente da Convenção das Igrejas Batistas Independentes
France
Paul Jeanson President of A Rocha France
Jean-Marc Potenti President of CEEF (Francophone Churches Fellowship)
Lhermenault Etienne President of Conseil National des Évangéliques de France
Patrick Guiborat Directeur Général of SEL (Service d’Entraide et de Liaison)François Clavairoly Président de la Fédération protestante de France
Dr Martin Kopp Président de la Commission écologie – justice climatique
Guatemala
Mariana Esmeralda Alvarez Valenzuela, Food for the Hungry
Carlos García Program Director, Food for the Hungry Guatemala
Honduras
Santiago Benitez Facilitador de Movilización de Iglesia y Comunidad at Tearfund Honduras
Osvaldo Munguia Executive Director of MOPAWI – Asociation for Dev’t of Moskitia
India
Rev Dr Roger Gaikwad National Council of Churches in India
Rev. Vijayesh Lal General Secretary of Evangelical Fellowship of India
Malawi
Richard Sulu Agriculturist at Church of Christ Africa Presbyterian CCAP Synod of Livingstonia
Patrick Kaudzu General Secretary of SCOM
Charles Bakolo Mvula, Green Anglicans Malawi
Rt. Revd Brighton Vita Malasa, MAM, OSF, Diocesan Bishop of The Anglican Diocese of Upper Shire
Nigeria
Dr Panam Percy Paul, Musician
Rev Stephen Baba ECWA President
Akila Yusuf Senior Pastor and Regional Overseer at House on the Rock Church
Peru
Alfonso Weiland International Director of Paz Y Esperanza
Miriam Moreno CEO WARMIS
Ruben Paredes Theologian at the Evangelical Andean-Amazonian Missiological Center
Dario Lopez Writer at Church of God Peru
Benjamin Elias Bravo Guerrero Pastor at Iglesia Evangélica PeruanaRev. Pedro Merino President of Peruvian National Evangelical Council
Pablo Guierrez Executive Director of Peruvian Bible Society
United Kingdom
Paul Harcourt National Leader of New Wine
Revd. Kate Wharton Assistant National Leader of New Wine England
Rev Mark Melluish Reverend of St Paul’s Ealing
John Coles Chair of New Wine Trust
Anne Coles Oversees New Wine’s Ministry for Women
Gavin Calver Director of Mission, Evangelical Alliance & Chair of Spring Harvest
Nigel Harris CEO of Tearfund
Dr Martin J Hodson Operations Director, The John Ray Initiative
Chris Naylor Executive Director A Rocha International
Tim Adams Associate General Secretary IFES
United States of America
Vilma “Nina” Balmaceda, President of Peace and Hope International
Uruguay
Luis Antonio Cesari Coordinador Nacional of Juventud para Cristo
Zambia
Francis Chivuta Bishop of New Life Giving Ministries
Rev Dr Suzanne Matale Secretary General of The Council of Churches in Zambia
Isaac Tembo Pastor of Apostolic Church in Zambia
Chela Musonda CEO of KOPA L.E.D
Christopher Phiri Pastor of Winning Faith Ministries
Susan Kirimania Development Worker at Fairview Baptist Church
Remmy Hamapande Director at Forgotten Voices Zambia
Davies D Mwewa Pastor of Kingdom Citizens Ministries
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