From the desk of Kyle Meyaard-Schaap at Y.E.C.A.

We Get By With a Little Help From Our Friends

It’s hard to believe, but COP 23 has almost come to a close. We’ve engaged with countless fantastic partners on the ground who are all pursuing our common goal of advocating for vulnerable populations here in BOnn, but few have been as effective as the ACT Alliance. The ACT Alliance is a coalition of more than 140 churches and church-related organisations working together in over 100 countries to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalised people. They do this by focusing on three key target areas of action: humanitarian aid, development, advocacy.

Climate change directly impacts the advancement of human rights as it continues to cause disruption and chaos in developed and developing countries alike. ACT stresses that just climate policies must be consonant with the advancement of human and the principles of solidarity. Mitigation, adaptation, and finance policies must infringe upon human rights but should oblige states to respect, protect, and fulfill the obligations of human rights of all people.

The COP 23 agenda focuses on working out rules and guidelines for implementing the Paris Agreement, which must ensure that countries will collectively ramp up their national plans to cut emissions, embrace renewable energy, and provide adequate support to the poorest and most vulnerable people. The ACT Alliance and its partners are have worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome from COP 23 and to ensure that poor and vulnerable populations, and their ability to thrive, are centered in the negotiation process.

In the words of Re. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (a member organization of the ACT Alliance), “Climate justice cannot wait. The most vulnerable must be in the midst of the world focus to overcome the climate challenge...Now is the time to take action.”

We couldn't agree more.

Take Action

If you’ve already done one of our COP 23 action alerts, see if you can find some friends to do it too by posting it on Facebook, sending an email right now, or mentioning the initiative in person to someone you think would join you.

If you haven’t had time yet, check them out and send a message to your MP or your member of Congress.

Pray

Pray for organizations like ACT Alliance, and so many others, that are working for climate justice around the world. Give thanks for their witness, and pray that they would have the courage and strength to continue advocating for God’s creation and for those made most vulnerable by its degradation.