The World Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, and Lutheran World Federation have issued “A Call to Action for Biodiversity and Climate Justice at COP16.”
The call recognizes that biodiversity loss has reached alarming levels, driven by human action and exacerbated by the impacts of climate change.
“We understand the urgent need to act in the face of the climate crisis that is devastating our ecosystems,” reads the text. “We believe that promoting just relationships requires ethical and constructive dialogue between the natural, social, and theological sciences, as well as traditional knowledge and wisdom.”
Biodiversity protection must be an unshakable priority for governments, the text urges.
“Limiting global warming to 1.5°C is critical, as climate change is not only one of the main causes of biodiversity loss but also exacerbates this crisis,” reads the text. “Achieving this goal requires the fair and equitable elimination of fossil fuel use, as they are one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions.”
“Limiting global warming to 1.5°C is critical, as climate change is not only one of the main causes of biodiversity loss but also exacerbates this crisis,”ACT, WCC, LWF joint statement calling for action on biodiversity
The call also urges a transition to renewable and sustainable energy sources.
“Furthermore, mobilizing the necessary resources to address the nature and climate crises demands political leadership and action, particularly from developed countries,” reads the text.
“Finally, as churches and faith-based organizations, we promote the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity and call for an urgent restructuring of power relations, the recognition of the rights of nature, and the transformation of the current extractivist economic model, which has contributed to biodiversity degradation and further exacerbated the climate crisis.
