WCC News: WCC highlights urgent need for a robust Global Stocktake to address climate change impacts

Two boys use a small net to catch fish in a flooded street in Biñan, Laguna, in the Philippines. Residents here have been subjected to increased flooding from the Laguna de Bay in recent years, and with the help of the ACT Alliance are organizing to look for alternatives. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth Pictures 14 June 2023 "The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Report emphasizes that prioritizing equity, social justice, climate justice, and rights-based approaches in adaptation and mitigation actions leads to sustainable outcomes and transformative change, " said WCC consultant for climate, Rev. Dr Henrik Grape. Grape added that the upcoming Global Stocktake during the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) presents a pivotal opportunity to drive the necessary changes to fulfill the goals of the Paris Agreement. "It enables the pursuit of more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions, ethical solutions, and the fair and equitable implementation of climate action," he concluded. During the side event, Frances Namoumou from the Pacific Conference of Churches emphasized that the Global Stocktake should evaluate climate action through human rights, including the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Namoumou called for the recognition and integration of local and Indigenous knowledge. Ian Fry, the UN special rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change, highlighted the consistent violation of human rights worldwide due to climate change. He underscored the importance of the Global Stocktake in acknowledging the connection between human rights and climate change. Michelle Schwarz, a youth representative from the Lutheran World Federation, shared her perspective as someone who grew up near a coal mine in Germany. Schwarz emphasized that climate change is an intergenerational problem and urged policymakers and governments to prioritize long-term thinking and divest from fossil fuels for future generations. The WCC's side-event was held during the 58th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SB 58) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at the Bonn Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany. Event recording - Deliver climate action: Support a robust Global Stocktake from human rights and ethical perspectives. See more

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 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland