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Ideas for climate advocacy: new ACT Climate Justice publication

Ideas for climate advocacy, 40 pages of practical strategies for climate justice, is now available. “We must keep hope alive and I think this publication can help us,” says Mattias Söderberg, co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group. “We can make a difference and achieve climate justice if we take action now!”

Divided into three sections, the book covers much of what Forums, members and regional climate justice CoPs will need to improve the effectiveness of their climate advocacy.

The first section explores ACT’s understanding of climate justice based on the foundations of our faith and as a faith-based alliance. It includes a summary of the most important scientific findings on the climate crisis drawn from the recent 6th Assessment Report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). It examines how past and future climate impacts threaten the sustainable development of all people, but especially those in the world’s most vulnerable communities. COP26 is studied in detail to introduce climate policy and the Glasgow Climate Pact. This section ends by exploring the climate policy challenges of the coming years.

The second section looks at advocacy practice. Using concrete examples, the publication shows how advocacy for climate justice at local, national, and international levels can be carried out in relatively simple ways. The aim is to raise the level of ambition in national and international climate targets, adaptation programmes, climate finance and in addressing climate-related Loss and Damage. This section also explains the basics of the Paris Climate Agreement and the resulting state obligations, and designing climate adaptation programmes to be gender responsive. Finally, it presents the Climate Justice Module of the ACT Advocacy Academy as the central training tool of our Climate Justice Programme.

The third section highlights the advocacy activities of ACT’s Climate Justice Programme. Three examples illustrate how ACT Communities of Practice (CoPs) from different world regions advocate for higher climate ambition. The examples illustrate the different priorities of ACT regions for climate justice. A bibliography and list of useful resources concludes the publication.

We wish you good and inspiring reading. Download here.

Faith leaders: More must be done to achieve climate justice after COP26

After two intense weeks of negotiations, civil society action, discussion and prayer, COP26 has come to an end. ACT Alliance and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have followed the summit closely. We feel that there is still a lot that must be done to achieve climate justice, particularly for communities in the Global South. They face the worst effects of climate change and have done the least to contribute to it.

As people of faith, committed to care for creation and work for climate justice and the dignity of all, we are disappointed by the results from COP26 in Glasgow. What has been negotiated does not go far enough in offering concrete solutions to the climate crisis. Without details and actions, promises are empty.

We welcome the launch of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA). In addition, individual countries, such as Scotland and Denmark, have made commitments to significantly increase their funding to the Global South for climate finance, which is one of our major concerns. We believe this is a good step forward and look forward to seeing the actions taken by the members of BOGA, and also to seeing other nations join in this key commitment.

However, the world urgently needs more ambition and more concerted action to achieve climate justice and keep global warming at 1.5C or below.

As people of faith, we are disappointed but not disheartened by the lack of results from COP26. As partners in the ecumenical movement, we will continue to care for creation, work for climate justice, and stand with the most vulnerable. We call on churches worldwide to keep raising their voices for creation and for climate justice.

We must act now. Creation is not for sale.

“In order to ‘Keep 1.5 Alive’, the world must phase out fossil fuel production and consumption as fast as possible. Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C is vital in order to lessen the impacts of climate change on the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world, particularly women and girls who are the most affected by climate induced disasters,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of ACT Alliance.

“We have been inspired by the relentless call for climate justice by faith actors and civil society. We must keep the momentum and continue to call for bold action by all actors at all levels. This is the big crisis of our time, and there is no time to lose. Its consequences will affect future generations all over the world,” said Rev. Anne Burghardt, General Secretary of LWF.

“Since it is Code Red now we call all private, social, economic and private actors to come up with ambitious and concrete actions to manage the climate crisis together,“ said Prof. Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel, ACT Alliance’s Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Justice.

“COP26 was a missed opportunity to take significant steps towards addressing the climate crisis and protecting the most vulnerable,” said Isaiah Toroitich, Head of Global Advocacy for LWF.

ACT Alliance

ACT Alliance is a global protestant and orthodox faith-based coalition organised in national and regional forums operating in more than 120 countries. Through its more than 140 members, ACT Alliance works on climate justice, humanitarian aid, gender justice, migration and displacement, and peace and security to support local communities.

ACT Alliance’s goal is to promote a locally-led and coordinated approach to advocacy, humanitarian and developmental issues.

LWF

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of 148 churches in the Lutheran tradition, representing over 77 million Christians in 99 countries. As a communion, LWF advocates for the human rights and dignity of all. At COP26, LWF has focused on strengthening climate action and advocacy at all levels. Young people are vital agents of change and form the greater part of the LWF’s delegation to COP26.

Media contacts

Simon Chambers

Director of Communication, ACT Alliance

simon.chambers@actalliance.org

+1- 416-435-0972

Rev. Arni Svanur Danielsson

Head of Communication, The Lutheran World Federation

arni.danielsson@lutheranworld.org

+41 22 791 6367

Volunteer-based localization in Amity’s flood relief response

ACT member Amity Foundation, like many ACT members, collaborates with a dense network of volunteers all over China in responding to major natural disasters. For example, the staff of the Tongxinyuan Social Service Center in Hebi City joined Amity’s relief response to the Henan flooding in July and August 2021. What does its founder say about the collaboration?

At the end of July 2021, heavy rain caused serious floods across China’s Henan Province, a landlocked area in the central part of the country, around 800 km south of Beijing. The floods affected over 13 million people in 150 counties. 302 people died in the floods and 50 were declared missing. In addition to human casualties, million hectares of crops and infrastructure were destroyed, leaving millions of people in need for life-saving emergency supplies.

For this response, Amity worked closely with local communities and organisations, relying on numerous volunteers supporting transportation and distribution of the emergency supplies. Alone in the two transit depots in Xinxiang and Hebi, through which Amity was channeling relief supplies to the affected regions, more than 300 volunteers contributed their time and energy to support the logistics and help the people in need. Amity together with the volunteers provided support to over 50,000 families living in eight cities, 106 towns and 284 villages in the province.

Liu Hongpeng, the founder of Tongxinyuan social service center located in Hebi City, and his colleagues joined the Amity Foundation’s flood relief response to the Henan flooding from 23rd July until August 3. Liu reflects on the collaboration among local organizations, their volunteers, and Amity.

Liu Hongpeng (second from left) brought a number of generators, emergency lighting equipment, instant noodles and other supplies to Huangzhuang Village in Xun County.

Liu Hongpeng worked closely with Amity staff at the supply transit depot once it started to operate. Through the transfer station, the Amity Foundation cooperated with local social organisations, organising disaster relief logistics quickly and efficiently. Liu believed that this model of cooperation was sustainable and effective. “We are familiar with the local circumstances, and we can take the responsibility for assessing the needs and keeping close contact to all the stakeholders, while Amity is responsible for fundraising and procurement of supplies”, he says. “Then we work together during the distribution and transportation process. Together we work perfectly in this way!“

Boy volunteer carries water bottles from a truck

Inspiring collaboration

Liu appreciated the spirit of Amity staff and volunteers at the transit depots. “They are particularly hard-working, and not delicate at all! The weather was extremely hot these days. Regardless, the Amity rescue team still participated in the loading of supplies, as well as the procurement of supplies, registration, transport, etc. They always worked so diligently, during the hot weather and covered with sweat like raindrops.” According to Liu Hongpeng, the Amity staff were not afraid of hardship and fatigue, inspiring the volunteers from other organizations. “Volunteers did not know each other, but in the transit depots, we all worked together just like strings twisted into a strong rope.”

Volunteers team up to manage the relief at the Amity transit deports

Praising the fast distribution

‘Pragmatism’ is another word that Liu Hongpeng uses in describing Amity. “I’ve come across many public welfare organisations, but it’s rare to find one as effective and pragmatic as Amity! Sometimes Amity set up distribution points at a village or resettlement site, or the rescue team distributed the supplies directly. In this way, villagers could receive the supplies as soon as possible. I think this way is quite good because the disaster struck suddenly, and we were not prepared beforehand. With complex traffic conditions, we had to deliver large amounts of supplies within the limited distribution time.”

Liu Hongpeng believes that the adjustment of working approaches not only ensured the efficiency of the distribution of supplies, but also enhanced the collective decision-making and self-management capabilities of villages and communities. “These methods actually reveal that Amity members indeed care about the feelings of the people in need.“

Liu’s experiences

Liu Hongpeng has been committed to public welfare for more than 10 years. He has won awards and honors due to his commitment to public welfare. However, dealing with the sudden flood at the doorstep, Liu still found himself a little unprepared. “Fortunately, we could cooperate with the Amity Foundation, which has inspired us in terms of our own working philosophy, methods and details. Thank you, Amity! Later, I also checked the website of Amity Foundation, learning that Amity has been working in many fields of public welfare for years. I hope there will be more opportunities in the future to work together with Amity”, said Liu Hongpeng with great expectation.

How to engage with COP26 happening in Glasgow

COP26 begins this November 1 in Glasgow, UK after a pause of nearly two years, and runs until November 12, with several faith activities scheduled just before it starts. The first COP since COVID-19 spread around the world, COP26 promises to be an important moment to address delayed climate justice promises and future investments.

What are the issues this year? The latest report from the IPCC (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) shows that if the global temperature continues to increase, the chance to keep that increase below the scientifically recommended maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius will disappear. The NDCs (national climate plans) submitted for this COP, if successfully implemented, would lead to a rise of 2.7 degrees. 1.5 degrees is still possible, but it requires immediate and ambitious emission reduction commitments.

There is an urgent need for vulnerable countries to adapt to the dramatic impact of climate change which they currently experience, and to address the resulting loss and damage. This need will increase steadily as the global temperature increases. Adequate finance, investment and the political will to act will be required for a just result.

The summit must be a success, or the climate emergency will become even worse.

ACT Alliance’s Key Asks

ACT’s key asks for COP26 include:

A call for scaled-up ambition in emission reduction commitments
That women in all their diversity participate equally in all climate change decision-making processes.
Separate finance targets for mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage. Loss and damage finance must be its own category in the post-2025 finance architecture.
Developed countries must meet their climate finance commitments, and climate finance must be split evenly between mitigation and adaptation.
A recognition that COVID-19 has created opportunities for all countries to restructure their economies to enable people and planet-centred solutions.
All articles of the 2015 Paris Agreement must become operational. However, ending without a decision on carbon trading will be better than a bad decision.

ACT in Glasgow

The ACT delegation will be reporting regularly from COP26. News on two new ACT reports (one on Gender, one on Climate Finance) blogs from Global South members, media releases, videos, interviews and more will be provided each day. Sign up for the ACT COP26 Communications google group by sending an email asking to be added to: fiona.connelly@actalliance.org. Please note that each person who wants to be added must send their own email request.

Virtual engagement

Many events are being streamed live this year for those who can’t be in Glasgow. Here are a few highlights. More will be posted on our COP26 communications google group (see above) and social media (see below). Register soon! Here are just a few ways you can be involved:

Sign the Pray and Act petition. Available in Spanish and English.

Watch the Pray and Act webinar on Faith Engagement at COP26.

Sunday, October 31, 16:30 GMT: Join the interfaith Talanoa Dialogue which includes Zoom dialogue rooms.

Tuesday, November 2, 19:30 GMT: Watch the livestream of the Pray and Act Faith in Action petition hand in ceremony.

Stay posted for more news on livestreamed ACT events.

Social Media

Follow ACT on social media, where we’ll post about events, reports, news and special quotes from some of our ACT members.

Twitter, twitter.com: ACT Now for Climate Justice/ @actclimate. Find or share COP26 news with these hashtags: #ActforClimate #COP26. If you are discussing the impact of climate change on women and girls, don’t forget to use the hashtag #TheRoad2Equality
Or Facebook, facebook.com ACT Now for Climate Justice /@actclimate

Faith leaders urge US President Biden to end embargo against the Cuban people

In a 15 October letter to US president Joe Biden, ACT Alliance General Secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria joined the World Council of Churches, Council of Churches in Cuba, and other faith-based groups in urging an end to nearly 60 years of embargo against the Cuban people, who are facing an appalling humanitarian situation.

“The Obama administration, with your support, sought to rethink the policy and pursue re-engagement with Cuba, by relaxing sanctions, allowing direct flights between the two countries, and easing restrictions on US citizens traveling to and doing business in Cuba,” the letter reads.

“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the problems in Cuba,” the letter continues. “We ask you to take a bold choice and end the embargo against the Cuban people.”

The letter also calls for eliminating the cap on remittance and reactivating non-family remittances, allowing Cubans abroad to better support their own families and communities.

“We strongly believe that there are other ways to engage with the Cuban authorities to discuss and overcome disagreements on issues and legacies, without affecting the people who want to live in human dignity,” the letter concludes.

Read the full letter here.

Displaced by conflicts, hit by food shortage

Chad currently hosts nearly 400,000 refugees. Recently, over 6,000 people have sought refuge in the country from neighbouring Central African Republic. The refugees often live in dire conditions. Belmi is one of them. Photo: Daouda GUIROU/LWF

Diba, southern Chad – Sitting on bare ground, Belmi Mercy seems worried. In her left hand, she holds a teaspoon. She scratches the surface of the ground with it occasionally. A cooking pot vaguely lies close to her. Normally, at this time of the day, the pot should already be set on fire for cooking. The 22 years old woman is visibly anxious or even traumatised.

Nearly a month ago, she had to flee her native village N‘gaounday, in Central African Republic, due to recurring violence between armed groups.

‘‘I used to flee many times in bush, and come back again a few days later‘‘ she said, ‘‘but this time, they [the armed groups] killed 9 people in my neighborhood. It was panic everywhere. I came very close to death, and I decided to leave.”

Belmi left her village with her two sons to cross the border. ACT Alliance member The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) team accommodated her in the village of Mini in Chad, under the supervision of UNHCR, and CNARR(the national commission in charge of refugees). Belmi received a hot meal. For the first time, since a couple of days, she had enough to eat with her children.

Few days later, Belmi and her kids were transferred to a safer place at Diba. A small village located over 40 km from the border. There, with the support of UNHCR, Belmi found a shelter – a plastic tent. She also received sleeping mats, cooking pots and few other items for her basic needs.

FOOD RATION REDUCED BY HALF

Several thousand refugees, like Belmi, are facing food shortage in Chad. Due to the lack of funding, the monthly food ration provided to refugees, has been reduced by half.

‘‘Its currently lean period [when food stock dries out before the next harvest]. The reduction of food ration could increase level of malnutrition, especially among children and pregnant women.’‘ says Adamou Koumanda, LWF Representative in Chad, ‘‘we urgently need more funding to bring life-saving assistance to refugees‘‘.

In total, LWF is currently providing assistance to over 200,000 refugees and host communities in Chad, thanks to the support of UNHCR, WFP, BPRM (USA) and ACT member Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH/BMZ).

__________

Text and photos by Daouda Guirou (LWF)

Displaced by conflicts, hit by food shortage

Nearly a month ago, she had to flee her native village N‘gaounday, in Central African Republic, due to recurring violence between armed groups.

‘‘I used to flee many times in bush, and come back again a few days later‘‘ she said, ‘‘but this time, they [the armed groups] killed 9 people in my neighborhood. It was panic everywhere. I came very close to death, and I decided to leave.”

FOOD RATION REDUCED BY HALF

Several thousand refugees, like Belmi, are facing food shortage in Chad. Due to the lack of funding, the monthly food ration provided to refugees, has been reduced by half.

__________

Text and photos by Daouda Guirou (LWF)

Displaced by conflicts, hit by food shortage

Nearly a month ago, she had to flee her native village N‘gaounday, in Central African Republic, due to recurring violence between armed groups.

‘‘I used to flee many times in bush, and come back again a few days later‘‘ she said, ‘‘but this time, they [the armed groups] killed 9 people in my neighborhood. It was panic everywhere. I came very close to death, and I decided to leave.”

FOOD RATION REDUCED BY HALF

Several thousand refugees, like Belmi, are facing food shortage in Chad. Due to the lack of funding, the monthly food ration provided to refugees, has been reduced by half.

__________

Text and photos by Daouda Guirou (LWF)

[Media advisory] 7th Symposium on the role of religion and faith-based organizations in international affairs

7th Annual Symposium
on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs

January 26 2021, 8:00 am – 12:30 pm EST

Symposium to examine role of religion and the UN in working for gender equality in 2021

January 19, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA ADVISORY

TEXT: Senior UN staff, representatives from faith groups and members of civil society will be presenting at the 7^th Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs on January 26, 2021. This year’s event will focus on “2021: A defining year for accelerating gender equality, equity and justice,” with a series of presentations and discussions on issues including multi-stakeholder collaboration to accelerate gender equality, equity and justice, the urgency for achieving it, women advancing peace and security, and multilateralism and the intersection of religion and human rights.

The Symposium will examine these issues in light of the major issue facing the world today, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the broader gender justice landscape including the Commission on the Status of Women, Generation Equality Forum, and others. “Pre-existing social inequalities including gender inequalities have been highlighted and new ones created, which will continue to exacerbate these crises unless resolved,” the organizers state in the event concept note. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused untold suffering and economic hardship, all the more so as it connected to the raging crises of gender inequality, racism, structural economic injustices and climate change.”

Who: Speakers include:

Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women
Mr. Ib Petersen, Deputy Executive Director, Management, UN Population Fund
Ms. Alice Nderitu, UN Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide

Dr. Ibrahim Salama, Chief, Human Rights Treaties Branch, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Mr. Anwar Khan, President, Islamic Relief USA
            Rabbi Laura Janner-Klaus, former inaugural Senior Rabbi to the Movement for
            Reform Judaism
            Mr. Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary, ACT Alliance

Where: Streaming on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hZzHAsZRQfw

When: Tuesday, January 26, 2021 8:00am-12:30pm (EST).

Media package: https://actalliance.org/documents/symposium-2021-media-package/

Sponsors: ACT Alliance, General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, Islamic Relief, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Soka Gakkai International, United Religions Initiative, World Council of Churches and UN Women and UNFPA, for the UN Inter-agency Task Force on Religion and Development

#####

MEDIA CONTACTS
ACT Alliance: Simon Chambers simon.chambers@actalliance.org

World Council of Churches: Marcelo Schneider msc@wcc-coe.org

Islamic Relief: David Hawa dhawa@irusa.org

General Board of Church and Society – The United Methodist Church: Kurt Adams kadams@umcjustice.org

URI: Isabelle Ortega-Lockwood, iortega@uri.org isabelle@uri.org , Gaea Denker gdenker@uri.org

UN Women: Ines Esteban Gonzalez ines.esteban.gonzalez@unwomen.org

Celebration amidst a climate emergency

Five years ago countries around the world agreed on a plan to tackle the climate crisis. As a result, the Paris Agreement was born, and an era of international cooperation to deliver climate action began.

The Paris Agreement has already delivered concrete results, and various national, regional and international decisions and initiatives since then have made direct reference to the climate accord.

It is important to note that the Paris Agreement itself will not deliver the results that are urgently needed to stop the climate crisis. There is no top-down mechanism that requires countries to take the necessary action, nor is there a compliance system to ensure that the broad and ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement are met.

Despite this, the Paris Agreement’s, Ambition Mechanism, has the potential to facilitate scaled-up climate action over time. Through this mechanism, parties are expected to revise their national climate plans every five years, after which, a stocktake of the updated pledges and commitments will signal the level of climate action that must still be taken. The first round of updated plans are to be submitted by 2020.

We are now reaching the end of the year, and despite promises from parties to update their climate plans, only twenty countries have done so. While there is still time before the end of the year, some countries have announced that they will only submit their updated climate plan in 2021.

Damage caused by Typhoon Ulysses in the Philippines. Photo by Mark Saludes

On the one hand, the urgency that was addressed in Paris five years ago has become even more significant, as people and communities, particularly in poor and vulnerable countries, continue to suffer from more frequent and intense cyclones, heatwaves, droughts and floods. It has become clear that the temperature target of 1.5°C is in fact, a matter of survival for many people.

On the other hand, there have also been some positive developments as we continue to witness enhanced innovation, mobilisation and action in response to the climate emergency. For example, investors are increasingly divesting from fossil fuels; countries are adopting new laws to promote a green transition, and more and more people are starting to shift their purchasing patterns, behaviours and ways of life towards more climate-friendly habits.

Today, we celebrate the existence of a global climate change agreement that promotes climate action around the world, and tomorrow, we get back to work to scale up climate action to levels that will allow us to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Written by Mattias Söderberg, on behalf of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group.