- 1. Some WCC Resources on These Issues
HALLMAN,DavidG.(ed.),Ecotheology. Voices from South and
North,Geneva/NewYork,WCC/ Caring for OrbisBooks,1994.
RASMUSSEN,LarryL.,Earth community, earth Creation
ethics,Geneva,WCC,1996.Time for climate justice HALLMAN,DavidG.,
Spiritual values for earth community,Geneva,WCC,2000.
Checkforstatementsandotherdocuments, includingthedossier,Climate
Change and the World Council of
Churchesathttp://oikoumene.org/climatechange.Kevin Connors The
receding Franz Josef Glacier in Southern New Zealand. What can you
do? Engagewithyourlocalchurchonactivities whichcareforcreation.
Prayforthosemostvulnerabletoclimatechange
consequences.Remember1September
4October2009isTimeforCreationandvisit http://oikoumene.org.
TolearnmorewhattheWCCisdoingoncare
forcreationandclimatechangeandsupportthis work,visittheWCCwebsiteat
http://oikoumene.org/climatechange.
SubscribefreeforWCCclimatechangeupdates attheWCCwebsite:http:/
/oikoumene.organd clickonSign-upfore-news.
JointheEcumenicalCountdowntoCopenhagen
Campaignandsigntheinternationalpledgeat http:/
/countdowntocopenhagen.org. Joinotherswhoworktosavetheearthand
callforanambitious,fairandbindingdealinFor more information:
Copenhagen.See,thetck,tck,tckcampaign,NASA/courtesy of
nasaimages.orgGuillermo Kerber
http://tcktcktck.org,inwhichtheWCCparticipates. E-mail:
[email protected]: +41 22 791 64 24
2. The effects
ofsocietyorganizationstobemoreeffectiveintheiractionandadvocacyforclimatejustice.climate
change are Theurgencyof
thesituationcallspeoplesandchurchestoactimmediately.Thisactionforbeing
experienced climatejusticeshouldbeseenaspartof
thecalltoconversion,whichimpliesaprofoundchangedramatically in
intherelationshipwithnature,economicpolicies,consumption,productionanddevelopmentpatterns.some
countries andSharing and Advocatingregions of the
world,particularly in Africa, TheWCCeffortshavecombinedthesharingof
initiativesdevelopedbychurchesandotherthe Caribbean,
theecumenicalpartnerswithadvocacyrelatedtotheUnitedNations.ChurchesareincreasinglyaddressingPacific
and South thecausesandconsequencesof
climatechange.TheWCCdelegationshaveadvocatedatallConferenceEast
Asia.of Parties(COP)of
theUNFrameworkConventiononClimateChange,havingsubmittedstatements,
ComprehensivepoliciesareurgentlyneededTheinspirationandcalltoorganizedside-eventsandecumenicalandinter-topromoteadaptationprogrammesincountries
careforcreationandaddress
religiouscelebrations.severelyaffectedbyclimatechange.Atthesame
climatechangearerootedinthetimestrongmitigationmeasures(especiallythroughBible,whichteachesthewholenessthereductionof
CO2emissions)shouldbetaken of
creation.Godcreateshumantoreversetheincreasingglobalwarming.Christianbeingsandchargeshumanitytocareforchurchesaredeeplyengagedintheseendeavours.
theearth,tobestewardsof it(Genesis1:28).
TheClimateChangeprogrammeof
theWorldThewholecreationhasbeengroaningasintheCouncilof
Churchesstartedin1988,asafollow-painsof
childbirthrightuptothepresenttimeupof
theworkdoneonsustainablecommunities
(Romans8:22).beginninginthemid70s.Theseeffortsbrought
FromaChristianecumenicalperspectiveclimateenvironment,economicandsocialconcernstogether.
changeisapproachedinaholisticwaytakingitsTheConvocationonJustice,PeaceandIntegrityof
differentdimensions(environmental,social,politicalCreation,heldinSeoul,Korea,in1990,framedworkandcultural)intoconsideration.whichhascontinueduptonow.
Climatechangeisalsoamatterof
justice,asthosewhoareandwillincreasinglybeaffectedare
theimpoverishedandvulnerablecommunitiesof theA Biblical and Ethical
ImperativeglobalSouthwhodonothavethemeanstoadaptto
thechange(MinuteonGlobalWarmingandClimateWhencreationisthreatenedbyclimatechangechurchesChange,WCCCentralCommittee,Geneva,Feb.2008).andChristiansarecalledtospeakoutandactasan
Nowisthetimeforclimatejustice.TheWCCexpressionof
theircommitmenttolife,justiceandlove.
hasjoinedchurches,otherecumenicalactorsandcivil Niksa ArneCO2
emissions are one of the most prevalent causes of global warming.
Kiribati, 2005: king tides wash over islands.