PRESS RELEASE

International humanitarian and development faith based networks have urged governments preparing for next week’s COP21 United Nations  climate summit in Paris to do their outmost to reach a fair, binding, and ambitious agreement as vulnerable people continue their daily struggle to adapt to the increasing adverse effects of climate change.

ACT Alliance, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) have called for governments to ensure the climate agreement enables the scaling up of ambition and details concrete action in the coming years.

“Climate change is not something that will happen in the future, it is happening today, and at this very moment people are facing its effects,” said  Mattias Söderberg, Head of the ACT Alliance delegation attending the Paris negotiations. “ACT Alliance members are working with communities across the world dealing with adverse climate related issues. In Central America, for example, ongoing drought has significantly reduced harvests pushing hundreds of thousands of families into food insecurity. In Asia increasing weather related disasters have left communities struggling to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. We expect the Paris agreement to be a solid stepping stone to help and encourage governments to step up ambition in the coming years,” he continued. “We also hope this agreement will inspire and encourage private companies to choose green and sustainable investments. If we end up with an agreement that stipulates low ambition, this will be a disaster, both for people now and for future generations. ”

The three organisations are all bringing delegations to the COP21 in Paris to follow the negotiations and raise the voices of the many communities around the world impacted by climate change.

LWF General Secretary Rev Dr Martin Junge said: “I am delighted with the strong ecumenical presence at COP21. The challenge ahead of the human family is about change and conversion into new lifestyles responding to other values and goals in our lives – and faith has a role in that. Climate change poses huge challenges to justice in our world; towards those most vulnerable, and towards youth and children and generations to come. We come to Paris with a commitment to those most vulnerable.”

Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, said: “The leaders of the world now have an historic possibility to make commitments and agreements that we know can change the future life on this planet, for better or for worse. This is their unique privilege and their historic accountability to all life. This generation represented in COP 21 know more about the effects of what we do to our planet than any generation before us. We can either – with open eyes –  prepare for crises and catastrophes for us and our children, or we can prepare for climate justice to the world. We hope and pray for the strength and courage to do what is required at this moment.”

In their call to governments to open the doors towards climate justice, the organisations highlighted different ways in which ambitious agreement could be achieved, such as a long term vision for decarbonisation with robust rules for transparency of action and provision for review and ratcheting up every five years. They also urged that the agreement provides climate finance for those already suffering the diverse impacts of climate change.

“The UN climate talks has for many years stressed that global temperature rise must remain well below 2 degrees, and it is now time to operationalize this target,” said Archbishop  Most Reverend Dr Thabo Makgoba,  The ACT Alliance  Global Climate Ambassador. “We need an agreement that will enable  renewable energy uptake and sustainable development and resilience.  People need help to adapt, and when that is not possible – when people face loss and damage to the extent that no further adaptation is possible, there must be assistance to help them to move on.”

ENDS

For more information contact Mattias Söderberg, Head of the ACT Alliance delegation attending the Paris negotiations, on +45 29700609 or via Twitter at Mattias_S

PRESS RELEASE

International humanitarian and development faith based networks have urged governments preparing for next week’s COP21 United Nations  climate summit in Paris to do their outmost to reach a fair, binding, and ambitious agreement as vulnerable people continue their daily struggle to adapt to the increasing adverse effects of climate change.

ACT Alliance, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) have called for governments to ensure the climate agreement enables the scaling up of ambition and details concrete action in the coming years.

“Climate change is not something that will happen in the future, it is happening today, and at this very moment people are facing its effects,” said  Mattias Söderberg, Head of the ACT Alliance delegation attending the Paris negotiations. “ACT Alliance members are working with communities across the world dealing with adverse climate related issues. In Central America, for example, ongoing drought has significantly reduced harvests pushing hundreds of thousands of families into food insecurity. In Asia increasing weather related disasters have left communities struggling to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. We expect the Paris agreement to be a solid stepping stone to help and encourage governments to step up ambition in the coming years,” he continued. “We also hope this agreement will inspire and encourage private companies to choose green and sustainable investments. If we end up with an agreement that stipulates low ambition, this will be a disaster, both for people now and for future generations. ”

The three organisations are all bringing delegations to the COP21 in Paris to follow the negotiations and raise the voices of the many communities around the world impacted by climate change.

LWF General Secretary Rev Dr Martin Junge said: “I am delighted with the strong ecumenical presence at COP21. The challenge ahead of the human family is about change and conversion into new lifestyles responding to other values and goals in our lives – and faith has a role in that. Climate change poses huge challenges to justice in our world; towards those most vulnerable, and towards youth and children and generations to come. We come to Paris with a commitment to those most vulnerable.”

Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, said: “The leaders of the world now have an historic possibility to make commitments and agreements that we know can change the future life on this planet, for better or for worse. This is their unique privilege and their historic accountability to all life. This generation represented in COP 21 know more about the effects of what we do to our planet than any generation before us. We can either – with open eyes –  prepare for crises and catastrophes for us and our children, or we can prepare for climate justice to the world. We hope and pray for the strength and courage to do what is required at this moment.”

In their call to governments to open the doors towards climate justice, the organisations highlighted different ways in which ambitious agreement could be achieved, such as a long term vision for decarbonisation with robust rules for transparency of action and provision for review and ratcheting up every five years. They also urged that the agreement provides climate finance for those already suffering the diverse impacts of climate change.

“The UN climate talks has for many years stressed that global temperature rise must remain well below 2 degrees, and it is now time to operationalize this target,” said Archbishop  Most Reverend Dr Thabo Makgoba,  The ACT Alliance  Global Climate Ambassador. “We need an agreement that will enable  renewable energy uptake and sustainable development and resilience.  People need help to adapt, and when that is not possible – when people face loss and damage to the extent that no further adaptation is possible, there must be assistance to help them to move on.”

ENDS

For more information contact Mattias Söderberg, Head of the ACT Alliance delegation attending the Paris negotiations, on +45 29700609 or via Twitter at Mattias_S

PRESS RELEASE

International humanitarian and development faith based networks have urged governments preparing for next week’s COP21 United Nations  climate summit in Paris to do their outmost to reach a fair, binding, and ambitious agreement as vulnerable people continue their daily struggle to adapt to the increasing adverse effects of climate change.

ACT Alliance, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) have called for governments to ensure the climate agreement enables the scaling up of ambition and details concrete action in the coming years.

“Climate change is not something that will happen in the future, it is happening today, and at this very moment people are facing its effects,” said  Mattias Söderberg, Head of the ACT Alliance delegation attending the Paris negotiations. “ACT Alliance members are working with communities across the world dealing with adverse climate related issues. In Central America, for example, ongoing drought has significantly reduced harvests pushing hundreds of thousands of families into food insecurity. In Asia increasing weather related disasters have left communities struggling to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. We expect the Paris agreement to be a solid stepping stone to help and encourage governments to step up ambition in the coming years,” he continued. “We also hope this agreement will inspire and encourage private companies to choose green and sustainable investments. If we end up with an agreement that stipulates low ambition, this will be a disaster, both for people now and for future generations. ”

The three organisations are all bringing delegations to the COP21 in Paris to follow the negotiations and raise the voices of the many communities around the world impacted by climate change.

LWF General Secretary Rev Dr Martin Junge said: “I am delighted with the strong ecumenical presence at COP21. The challenge ahead of the human family is about change and conversion into new lifestyles responding to other values and goals in our lives – and faith has a role in that. Climate change poses huge challenges to justice in our world; towards those most vulnerable, and towards youth and children and generations to come. We come to Paris with a commitment to those most vulnerable.”

Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, said: “The leaders of the world now have an historic possibility to make commitments and agreements that we know can change the future life on this planet, for better or for worse. This is their unique privilege and their historic accountability to all life. This generation represented in COP 21 know more about the effects of what we do to our planet than any generation before us. We can either – with open eyes –  prepare for crises and catastrophes for us and our children, or we can prepare for climate justice to the world. We hope and pray for the strength and courage to do what is required at this moment.”

In their call to governments to open the doors towards climate justice, the organisations highlighted different ways in which ambitious agreement could be achieved, such as a long term vision for decarbonisation with robust rules for transparency of action and provision for review and ratcheting up every five years. They also urged that the agreement provides climate finance for those already suffering the diverse impacts of climate change.

“The UN climate talks has for many years stressed that global temperature rise must remain well below 2 degrees, and it is now time to operationalize this target,” said Archbishop  Most Reverend Dr Thabo Makgoba,  The ACT Alliance  Global Climate Ambassador. “We need an agreement that will enable  renewable energy uptake and sustainable development and resilience.  People need help to adapt, and when that is not possible – when people face loss and damage to the extent that no further adaptation is possible, there must be assistance to help them to move on.”

ENDS

For more information contact Mattias Söderberg, Head of the ACT Alliance delegation attending the Paris negotiations, on +45 29700609 or via Twitter at Mattias_S

“Following the recent attacks in Paris and Beirut, we at ACT Alliance express our shock and send our sincere condolences to the families and friends of the people who have lost their lives and those who have been injured in these attacks. ACT Alliance believes in a world of justice, peace and human dignity for all. Attacks of this nature, across the world, are a threat to the basic human value of love”

John Nduna, General Secretary, ACT Alliance

PRESS RELEASE

A new report launched today by ACT Alliance in cooperation with Bread for the World and Germanwatch stresses the need for governments meeting in Paris in December to address loss and damage that occurs as a result of climate change.

The report highlights that a central challenge the world faces is to offer solidarity and coordinated help to those affected by loss and damage. It states that to meet this challenge, it is important to promote climate risk analysis and climate management.

It also states that new approaches such as the G7 Climate Risk Insurance Initiative must be implemented in a way that reaches and involves the poorest, and promotes human rights, with dignified necessary resettlement and international protection for migrants who leave their home because of climate change.

‘We need to keep our global temperature well below two degrees Celsius, or risk more cases of loss and damage,” said John Nduna, ACT Alliance General Secretary. “Any temperature rise of more than two degrees will have more catastrophic impacts on climate change, including the sinking of many islands and making many areas not fit for human habitation.”

ACT Alliance has followed the UN climate negotiation process for many years and has taken lessons from ACT members working on the ground to help communities adapt and build resilience, to influence the alliance’s policy development and engagement with governments at national and international level.

‘We continue to experience increasing incidences where adaptation is becoming impossible,” said ACT Alliance Climate Advisory Co-Chair Mattias Söderberg. “ACT Alliance members continue to experience situations where their efforts to adapt to impacts of climate change are perennially challenged. We have witnessed devastating climate related disasters which have resulted in loss of lives and displacement of the people in Vanuatu, in the Philippines due to Typhoon Haiyan, and in the Sahel region in Africa where desertification is increasing at an alarming rate.’’

As the progress to come up with a new climate regime culminates between now and mid-December, Söderberg said the alliance hopes that loss and damage will be part of the agreement to be adopted on the at the December UN climate meeting (UNFCCC) in Paris.

“In regard to loss and damage, the Paris Agreement should recognise increasing climate risks and related losses as another key challenge in view of achieving the ultimate goal of the Convention,’’ said Söderberg.

Less than one month after the bombing of the Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) Trauma Centre in Kunduz, Afghanistan that resulted in the deaths of at least 30 staff and patients, the humanitarian community is again outraged at the aerial attack on another MSF medical facility in Haydan, Yemen. ACT Alliance deplores these attacks, and stands in support of our MSF colleagues expressing our deepest condolences to staff, patients and communities affected.

As a network of churches and faith-based organisations, ACT Alliance members engage in provision of humanitarian assistance around the world. “As humanitarians, we are all affected by attacks on aid workers and humanitarian facilities,” says Reshma Adatia, ACT Alliance Global Humanitarian Coordinator. “The horrific bombing in Kunduz highlights a clear example where violations of the Geneva Conventions have the greatest impact on the most vulnerable. As a result of this attack, thousands of people no longer have access to essential medical services, depriving them of the very assistance they are in desperate need of.”

Access to aid, and conversely aid workers access to populations, is severely compromised when humanitarian action is so blatantly disrespected. ACT Alliance supports MSF’s call for an independent investigation into the attack in Kunduz by the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC). “The entire humanitarian community has come together to insist on the importance of this investigation, not only to establish the facts for MSF, but to support and protect humanitarian workers around the world as they serve people in crisis.”

Access to populations in need and the safety of humanitarian staff are routinely hampered around the world, from Syria and Afghanistan, to South Sudan and Central African Republic. “Humanitarian organisations and their staff take incredible risks every single day to deliver aid to people around the world. Attacks, whether deliberate or accidental, must stop so that vulnerable populations stop paying an even higher price,” concludes Ms. Adatia.

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ACT Alliance member Community World Service Asia has been working in Kunduz, Afghanistan, serving populations in the area since early 2014, and are currently providing food packages and winterization kits to 4,200 people affected by the conflict. The destruction of the MSF facility has a direct impact on the populations ACT Alliance is serving, as it has resulted in a total loss of medical services in the area.

ACT Alliance membership includes over 140 church and faith-based organisations, from over 70 countries around the world. As a global alliance, ACT members are committed to working together in the areas of humanitarian response, development and advocacy.