WCC News: From Despair to Hope: A call to action on climate change and responsible banking

To highlight how our financial choices can help combat desertification and create a sustainable future for our children, the World Council of Churches (WCC) has released a video “From Despair to Hope,” available in English, German, French, Spanish, and Arabic. Videos “From Despair to Hope” are a call to action on climate change and responsible banking, addressing desertification around the Mediterranean sea. Photo: WCC 17 October 2024 Videos are part of a project developing educational advocacy material on the desertification around the Mediterranean Sea, providing concrete examples of how everyone can contribute to halting the climate crisis. The WCC plans to share the material with its member churches and Sunday schools worldwide to initiate discussion and action. “This one-minute video helps to shed light on the powerful lever of climate-responsible banking, address root-causes of global warming, and support churches in addressing desertification,” says Frederique Seidel, WCC Children and Climate programme executive. “It is an educational resource that aims to increase tangible hope for children’s futures. We invite and encourage all churches and partners to use and to share it!” A webinar/consultation with the member churches from the Mediterranean region will be organized on 9 December (register here). To strengthen awareness on solutions to stop desertification, a fact sheet for churches will be made available, supporting churches and partners’ in using the powerful lever of climate-responsible finance. Project is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. The WCC Churches’ Commitments to Children programme advocates for a recognition that choices which lead to climate destruction are crimes against children and future generations. Desertification of the Mediterranean Sea is one of examples showing the extent of the climate crisis, requiring everyone to take climate action and engage in solutions.  Videos “From Despair to Hope” are available in English, German, French, Spanish and Arabic. Register for the webinar “Addressing desertification through responsible banking: Mediterranean”  Learn more about the webinar "Churches in the Mediterranean: Addressing desertification through responsible banking" "From Despair to Hope", a call to action on climate change and responsible banking 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