WCC News: Side event in Bonn highlights intersectional climate impacts

The World Council of Churches (WCC), in collaboration with the Brahma Kumaris, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran World Federation, and ACT Church of Sweden, co-organized a side event, ”Addressing the Intersectional Impacts of Climate Change; Bridging Gender Gaps in Climate: Faith Perspectives,” at the Climate Change Conference 2024 in Bonn. The event focused on gender justice and strategies to bridge gender gaps in climate change. Participants of the co-organized a side event, ”Addressing the Intersectional Impacts of Climate Change; Bridging Gender Gaps in Climate: Faith Perspectives,” at the Climate Change Conference 2024 in Bonn. Photo: Max Weber 12 June 2024 The side event fostered collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including experts from various continents and backgrounds; Indigenous communities; the global south; non-governmental organizations; and faith-based, governmental, and research organizations. “The challenges we face are vast and complex. Every second lost is a second too much, especially for those most affected by climate change, such as women, children, and differently-abled people,” said Max Weber, a graduate from the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey and future representative of the Protestant Church in the Rhineland for the German Protestant Kirchentag 2027 who facilitated the side event. Weber expressed hope, observing the active participation of young activists and advocating for their inclusion in decision-making processes. Musamba Mubanga, senior advocacy officer at Caritas Internationalis, emphasized the need to address the unique challenges faced by women in vulnerable communities due to climate impacts. “Addressing these issues is a moral imperative, calling for stewardship and justice to bridge the gaps and combat climate change for the wellbeing of all,” Mubanga stated. He highlighted the importance of adopting a holistic approach at COP29. Amina Amharech, a fellow of the Indigenous Programme of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and co-president of the International Land Coalition Indigenous Caucus, criticized mercantilist ideology and advocated for preserving the land for future generations. “Our land has no economic value, no price tag. What we have instead is a life value: a perspective that we must preserve the land for others,” Amharech stated. She called for greater responsibility from all sectors of society. 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