WCC News: From Rome's “Jubilee for Workers” to COP30 - churches champion just transition

At the "World of Work, Place of Hope" event held in Rome on 2 May, faith leaders, economists, and labour representatives gathered to address the intertwined challenges of climate justice and dignified work. Among the speakers, Athena Peralta, director of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, highlighted a critical upcoming milestone: COP30 and its focus on just transition. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth Pictures 13 May 2025 “The climate emergency and rising socioeconomic inequalities have emerged as the defining challenges of our time,” highlighted Peralta during a panel presentation at the conference “As the world prepares for the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil this November, churches worldwide are mobilizing to ensure that the transition to a low-carbon economy prioritizes justice for the most vulnerable communities.” Just transition: core to COP30 agenda COP30 will place significant focus on the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP), scheduled for review in 2026. This programme addresses the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of transitioning to a low-carbon economy. "The JTWP is the only negotiation track under the Paris Agreement that explicitly connects socioeconomic justice with climate action," explained Peralta."This makes it absolutely vital to our work as churches." The International Labour Organisation estimates that shifting away from fossil fuels could cost approximately 6 million jobs while potentially creating 24 million new ones by 2030. Climate change already affects 70% of global economic sectors, disrupting productivity and livelihoods. Churches' three-pronged response The World Council of Churches has declared the climate crisis a core priority. At the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, the WCC statement "The Living Planet – Seeking Just and Sustainable Global Communities" issued a clear call: "A just transition to renewable energy sources must be expedited. Use of existing fossil fuel sources must be phased out without further delay. No new fossil fuel or nuclear energy projects can be developed. Subsidies to fossil fuel industries...must be ended." In June 2023, the WCC endorsed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. A key pillar is to “fast track the adoption of renewable energy and economic diversification away from fossil fuels so that no worker, community or country is left behind.” Churches worldwide are responding in three critical ways: 1. Standing with communities affected by unjust transitions In 2022, WCC representatives visited Indigenous Sami communities in Norway where "green" energy projects like wind farms had disrupted traditional reindeer herding without proper consultation. Sami youth described this as "green colonization"—a stark reminder that even well-intentioned climate solutions can perpetuate injustice when communities are excluded from decision-making. Similarly, in Africa, the extraction of minerals for renewable energy technologies has led to unsafe and exploitative mining practices that destroy ecosystems. Churches in countries like South Africa have facilitated dialogue between affected communities, companies, and policymakers to emphasise that climate action cannot come at the expense of ordinary workers and human rights. 2. Transforming church operations From South America to Asia, churches are making their own transitions—adopting solar power, growing trees, and promoting sustainable agriculture practices. At the Rome "World of Work" event, Pierre Martinot-Lagarde, special advisor for Socio-Religious Affairs at the International Labour Organisation, captured this approach: "If work is a relationship then it must involve care. Work that cares will help ensure a sustainable future for all." His statement resonated deeply with participants exploring the connections between dignified work and ecological sustainability. 3. Advocating for systemic economic change Churches are increasingly vocal about the need for debt jubilee and tax justice to fund climate action and transformation. The WCC-supported "Turn Debt into Hope" campaign and "Zacchaeus Tax" campaign call for progressive taxes on wealth, carbon, and pollution to resource the transition to sustainable, equitable economies. The work particularly emphasizes that climate finance must come through grants, not loans that deepen the indebtedness of countries already struggling with climate impacts. At COP29, members of the ecumenical delegation join a powerful and silent climate march, showing solidarity with civil society organizations by snapping and humming while holding placards, as protesters were not allowed to shout. Photo: Valter Hugo Muniz/WCC A moral imperative for faith communities The "World of Work, Place of Hope" event in Rome demonstrated how faith communities are reframing the conversation around work, care, and climate. Sister Alessandra Smerilli, secretary of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, opened the event with a powerful message: "We are created with a vocation to work. That care is work, work is care... Our connectedness counts more than performance." This perspective resonates deeply with the churches' understanding that the climate crisis is rooted in deeper systemic issues—an exploitative economic model driven by short-term gain and a worldview that separates humans from the rest of creation. Speaking from a youth perspective at the Rome gathering, Rita Sacramento Monteiro from the Economy of Francesco Foundation highlighted concerns particularly relevant to just transition: "The increasing predominance of burnout, loss of meaning, and alienation in the world of work must concern us deeply as they are clear signs of how we have uprooted work from its value, meaning, and fruits. Young people desire to do meaningful work and to have the time to build their life projects.” The path forward As COP30 approaches, churches have a unique opportunity to amplify the voices of affected communities, model sustainable practices, and advocate for economic transformation that puts care at its centre. The WCC continues to emphasize that a just transition is not optional—it is the only viable way forward. Equity is the path to sustainability. Faith communities bring distinctive contributions to this challenge: envisioning economies based on care, redefining work and wealth, nurturing ecological relationships, and honouring the sacred interconnectedness of all life. The Rome event, organized in conjunction with the Jubilee of Workers celebration, demonstrated how the concept of jubilee—a time of restoration and justice—aligns perfectly with just transition principles. Sustainability and Economy of Life 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 Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland