WCC News: Daily COP30 updates connect churches to climate negotiations

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is piloting a real-time WhatsApp channel so congregations worldwide can follow the COP30 climate negotiations in Belém, Brazil, from 10 to 21 November - as they happen. Through WhatsApp, the WCC is delivering daily live updates, behind-the-scenes interviews, practical resources, and frontline stories straight to church members' phones - making climate justice accessible from the negotiating halls to Sunday school classrooms. 05 November 2025 This opens the Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action (2025-2034), framing COP30 as a pilgrimage rather than simply a conference. "We're not simply covering an event," said Marianne Ejdersten, WCC director of communication. "We're inviting the global church to journey with us - to pray, to witness, and to act for climate justice." With two billion users globally, WhatsApp reaches churches and faith communities where they already communicate daily - no new app downloads or special accounts required. People only need to follow and ensure the notifications are not muted. Subscribers will receive five updates each day. Pilgrim Notes are morning video highlights that preview the day ahead. Ecumenical Lenses brings photography by Albin Hillert from the Lutheran World Federation delegation - images that capture the ecumenical witness at COP30. The Climate Action Toolkit offers advocacy guides, worship materials, and ready-to-use resources for congregations. Creation Stewards shares stories from COP30 delegates to grassroots communities, and the Daily Wrap-Up features behind-the-scenes video interviews with WCC delegates and ecumenical partners reflecting on the day's events. "We're using simple English, but the morning videos will be in Portuguese with English subtitles, to reach the local audience," explained Valter Hugo Muniz, WCC communication officer, following the coverage on the ground. "The goal to produce content that is accessible and easy to share across contexts - from a rural congregation in Kenya to a university chaplaincy in Germany to a youth group in the Philippines." Member churches can also share their congregation's climate action story. Send photos, short videos (30-90 seconds), or written reflections (200 words maximum) to media@wcc-coe.org - the channel features subscriber contributions daily. Click here to join the WhatsApp channel Follow WCC's COP30 coverage at www.oikoumene.org/cop30 WCC calls COP30 a "kairos moment" for climate transformation (News Release, 4 November) 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 356 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