WCC News: Churches march in New York City to declare no faith in fossil fuels

Representatives of the World Council of Churches (WCC) joined tens of thousands of demonstrators in New York City for the "March to End Fossil Fuels." This powerful protest took place just before the United Nations General Assembly, where world leaders gathered for crucial climate discussions. New York City, September 17, 2023 Christians and other people of faith worldwide joined tens of thousands in the March to End Fossil Fuels in New York City on September 17, 2023. Photo: Simon Chambers/ACT Alliance 18 September 2023 The march began with an interfaith invocation, bringing together people from various religious backgrounds. Frances Namoumou, from the Pacific Conference of Churches, delivered a Christian prayer focusing on water as a life-sustaining resource, emphasizing the need to safeguard it from exploitation and extraction. Part of the WCC delegation in the march, Rev. Henrik Grape, WCC senior advisor on Care for Creation, Sustainability, and Climate Justice, emphasized, "The fossil fuel industry has shown an unwillingness to change, despite the evidence and scientific consensus. People of all faiths and Indigenous communities have marched together to demand the removal of fossil fuels from our society's systems. A swift and equitable phase-out is essential to protect our shared home." Organizers estimated that between 50,000 and 75,000 individuals participated in the Manhattan march, marking it as the largest climate protest in the US since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020. Athena Peralta, WCC programme executive for Economic and Ecological Justice, stressed the WCC's faith-based duty to support those most affected by climate change. She stated, "Our faith compels us to call upon our leaders to transform our unsustainable and unjust economic practices. Today, we acted in accordance with our faith." In June 2023, the WCC central committee endorsed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, reaffirming its commitment to a fossil-free future. The "March to End Fossil Fuels" sent a clear message: the time to shift away from fossil fuels is now, and the global church community is at the forefront of this call for a rapid and equitable transition to protect our shared home. WCC work on Care for creation and climate justice Frances Namoumou, from Pacific Conference, offered Christian prayer in New York City for the "March to End Fossil Fuels. The prayer, centered on water as a life-giving resource, emphases the need to protect it from exploitation. 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