Faith Updates for COP28 - Stay in the Loop
Moving through COP28 as a person of faith. Links to HUBS and the latest news.
UPDATE from COP28, week two. Find week one’s updates here.
COP28 is the first ever COP with a Faith Pavilion. There are a number of pavilions at COP. Pavilions are hubs of conversation, policy making and networking. With the first Faith Pavilion, you can add prayer, worship, and a vision for a more just and peaceful earth. Read about the pavilion and the Tree of Conscience, Grand Imam Ahmed Al Tayeb Inaugurates First-ever Faith Pavilion at COP28, from Egyptian Streets.
News updates for this week, scroll for quick connection links.
Half Way there. From Lutheran World Federation, Climate justice: an act of faith. This article draws in the voices of youth across the globe as it reviews what has happened so far at COP, and what remains to do. Read also from Act Alliance, COP28 Press release: The final stretch – ambition must go up, and not be watered down.
Young Faith Activists Speak. Reporting from the Faith Pavilion by SEE Sada Balad, Young Climate Activist Licypriya Kangujam: Climate Solutions Fund Marks a Concrete Beginning to Confront the Climate Crisis.
Episcopals in Action. From Episcopal News Service, Episcopal delegates share, seek solutions at UN conference to solve climate change crisis. The Episcopal Church is seeking action. The Church body itself voted to support the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and is currently at COP offering prayer, worship, and calling for action.
Climate Change and Women’s Health. The need for advocacy globally for women and girls has only grown due in part to climate change. As such, organizations including World Council of Churches brought dialogue to the Faith Pavilion, seeking more support for women. WCC joins global faith efforts for women's health amid climate crisis.
“Unity and Optimism.” From Griffon News, this article makes note of the positive difference the Faith Pavilion brings to COP. While negotiators dig in, unity and hope can be found nearby. Got to have faith: religion finds its moment at COP28. The hope and experience of unity was shared also in this article from World Council of Churches, Bedi Racule at COP28: “One thing that really unites us together is our faith.”
Religious Duty. The Faith Pavilion has events all day, including vigils and services. This article from Zawya speaks to the message shared during prayer time known as Jama. 'Protecting Earth is religious duty': UAE mosques urge faithful to go green during Friday sermon.
Call for Accountability. From National Council of Churches in the Philippines published on the ACT Alliance blog, Accountability is key at negotiations. The Philippines endures 20 Typhoons a year, and is the 4th most vulnerable country to the worsening climate crisis. To get real changes, there must be accountability for promised and urgent emissions reductions.
Oil Interests and COP28. If you have been following COP28 at all, you heard the news that OPEC instructed member country delegates to vote against any reductions to oil production. This article from Texas Impact/Texas Interfaith Power and Light, gives information and perspective, OPEC Head Pushes Members to Derail Climate Negotiations.
Phase them out! Over 14 Catholic organizations have signed on to a letter for COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber urging the necessary reductions that will ensure the Earth stays below 1.5C warming. From Earthbeat, Catholics call on nations at COP28 to adopt new treaty to phase out fossil fuels.
Harmful Investments. This article from UN News offers the ‘why.’ The money invested in fossil fuels and harms to the earth not only draw resources toward destruction, but also prevent re-investment in better ways of doing things. This, then, is a core part of what COP28 must address. COP28: UN says staggering $7 trillion spent every year on investments that fuel climate change.
Get Connected Fast
To get lots of information quickly:
Your one-stop connecting place, a HUB overseen by Frank Granshaw, with Quaker Earthcare Witness, and others. Links to everything, plus some 101 information to get you started - Bridge to COP28
One-stop United Nations. The UN is the organization at the center of COP. They care about communicating and keeping folks updated. Find their main page here, and their blog (including live) here.
One-stop Faith Pavilion. New this year, COP28 includes a pavilion with events especially geared toward people of faith. Find it here. Find the full program schedule for the pavilion here (pdf). From the UN, faith-based engagement, news and updates, and events.
Interfaith Power and Light. A page of links, news, and resources for COP28.
Faith Organizations - Regular Updates
These faith organizations, collaborations, and denominations will be offering steady updates.
Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development. Lots of info on their COP page.
Catholic. Every Catholic news outlet is filled with great articles from COP. Including the Tablet, Vatican Times, and Crux, In COP-28 message, Pope insists climate change is a ‘religious problem’.
Lutheran World Federation. Their COP28 page is busy and updated.
Episcopalians. Watch the Episcopal News Service for information, such as Episcopal delegates represent presiding bishop, church at UN climate change conference. Watch also the Episcopal Creation Care page.
Brahma Kumaris Environmental Initiative. Events and social media outlets. They also have a livestream.
Texas Impact. A true collaborative effort with Texas Interfaith Power and Light, Lutherans on the ground, and Methodist Rev. Mel Caraway offering summary updates December 4 - 8th. There’s also a daily news feed.
Evangelical Advocacy. Two good places to go for this. Check out the World Evangelical Alliance, if you are still on twitter, they are updating here with good short video clips. Also look to the Evangelical Environmental Network. While EEN isn’t carrying news of COP specifically, they have robust engagement in general with environmental advocacy.
Unitarian Universalist. The UUs at the front of climate justice as usual, see their page.
AHAM Buddhist Tradition. Their page is educationally focused, planet & healing centered, lots of info.
ACT Alliance has a global footprint, their front page will carry news of COP.
World Council of Churches is also present at COP and will be carrying news on their front page. They also have a blog page specifically for Creation Care and COP.
The Anglican Communion at COP, lot of info on their page.
Participation and Prayer. Also in the Evangelical (and wider) tradition, the Christian Climate Observers Program sends young people to COP every year. You can follow their newsletter with daily briefings. Two places for online prayer. Tearfund is scheduling prayer vigils, and has a downloadable prayer resource, and engagement with climate finance. Pray also with Climate Intercessors who have regular prayer-gathering over zoom.
Further engagement. The Lausanne Movement Creation Care Network is not carrying news about COP28 specifically, but Launanne, Arocha, and YECA are other great faith-based organizations engaging action, faith and advocacy for climate.
(Check your denomination, IPL affiliate, and local church to see if there are events, vigils or actions planned near you.)
Big Events & Big News
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Just to say… my updates are not endorsements, and links are usually third party. Please make your own determinations. My goal here is to amplify the conversation and encourage engagement, learning, and resilience. And of course, to bless your efforts!