We bring you a longer piece than usual: news of a blessing and celebration event of LWCCN’s LWCCN’s Korean Invitation: Good News for All the Earth, written by Laura Meitzner Yoder. Laura is the John Stott Chair and Director for the Program in Human Needs and Global Resources at Wheaton College. The article ends with a prayer by Nina Mantalaba, a Wheaton College graduate.

On 16 December, 75 faculty, staff, and students gathered at Wheaton College, Illinois, USA to celebrate and to bless the launch of the Korean Invitation: Good News for All the Earth. Twenty readers each read aloud one paragraph of the newly published document, and we had a time of reflection and prayer over the invitation as it goes out.

For some of the attending students, the most impactful part was who did the readings. Students in Sociology, English, Art, etc. were happy to see their professors or known staff members there, reading or just attending. What a great demonstration that creation care is not limited to the natural sciences.

I (Laura) shared about the drafting process. After initially considering some possible additions to the 2012 Jamaica Call to Action, it became clear that we needed to begin the invitation with a fuller biblical and theological framework for creation care within the scope of the biblical narrative than had been written before in Lausanne documents. Participants in the October 2024 Global Creation Care Forum each brought unique insights about the priorities, neglected areas, and the phasing that would resonate with our communities and the constituencies we know well. Contributors came from a wide array of backgrounds, ranging from urban professionals to farmers, spanning many decades in age, having distinct vocations and livelihoods, representing different kinds of institutions and churches, and from different socioeconomic backgrounds and political circumstances. The biblical call on our lives we have in common, and the outworking of that takes unique shape in each of our contexts.

May God help us come to see our right place in creation and to live accordingly, for the glory of God and for the good of all that God has made, and redeemed, and sustains. We share our closing blessing with you and also ask you: With whom will you share the Korean Invitation in your own context? – your church, colleagues, neighbors, pastoral leadership team, community sustainability group? May it spark new conversations and ignite prayerful action!

(Prayer by Nina Mantlaba)

Heavenly Creator, we thank you for convening sisters and brothers from around the world in fellowship to collaborate and create this document. We pray that its prophetic voice will reach far and wide, and that your church will incorporate creation care into their everyday mission and lifestyle, to proclaim and demonstrate your Lordship over the world.

In this season of Advent, God, thank you for the reminder that your good news is for all the earth. You sent your one and only child not only for the salvation of our souls, but also for the liberation and renewal of the physical world we live in.

We repent of our inaction – of our unwillingness to let go of power and harmful patterns of individualism, consumerism, and greed. Lord, we pray that amidst these groans and lament, you fill us with your radical hope. Fill us with a prophetic and creative imagination. Of visions of how this world, your world, can be different, and transformative solutions that lead us into action on every level – big and small, corporate and individual. And equip us with ears to hear, and eyes to see how to accompany and center those most vulnerable, most impacted by our sinful misuse and abuse of your creation. Renew us in the new year to continue your work in the world.

In your name we pray, Amen.

Readers stood in a circle as attendees arrived

By: Jocabed R Solano Miselis

There is no climate justice without justice for all creation.

Every year, thousands of people from all over the world gather at the COP on climate change. COP29 is the Conference of the Parties, an annual meeting of countries that have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). At these conferences, decisions are made to combat climate change, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions or adapting to the consequences of global warming.

As part of the delegation in Panama and the delegation of the World Council of Churches, participating in COP 29 was an opportunity to make an impact for my faith not only as a citizen in Panama, but as a citizen in the world.

Personally, faith in Jesus moves me to make an impact for indigenous territories, in local government and at an international level. For me, a faith that lives in solidarity, walking the realities of vulnerable peoples, is an impact of daily life intertwined with national realities and that involves announcing the good news and denouncing injustice.

There was significant the disappointment at COP29 due to the lack of commitment from the so-called “rich countries” from a capitalist perspective. From a Gunadule perspective, however, one is rich when we know how to relate to the land, when we cultivate it and learn from it. There is both respect and reciprocity.

A new global target for climate finance was agreed on at COP29, setting a goal of $300 billion annually by 2035 from a range of sources, including public and private funds. This target replaces the previous target of $100 billion and seeks to mobilise greater resources to help developing countries meet the challenges of climate change. However, many critics argue that the agreements reached at COP29 were not ambitious enough to limit global warming to 1.5°C, as set out in the Paris Agreement. Despite the new financial commitments, some consider that the proposed action was not sufficient to address the urgency of the climate crisis.

The Presidency of this COP 29 managed to reach a decision on articles 6.2 and 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, an agreement that will pave the way for carbon trading between countries and the creation of a regulated global market. The implications of this adoption should be addressed in urgent dialogue with the most vulnerable communities, such as the Indigenous Peoples, since much of this regulated market seeks to create a market in indigenous territories. Some critical points of article 6 of the Paris Agreement in the context of Carbon Markets from indigenous perspectives include the loss of lands and territories: Emission reduction projects, which support carbon markets, often involve the acquisition of indigenous lands, which violates their ancestral rights and way of life. Forced displacement: These initiatives can lead to the displacement of indigenous communities from their traditional territories, affecting their livelihoods and their cultural connection to the land. Violation of customary rights: Carbon markets can undermine indigenous peoples’ customary rights over their lands and natural resources, failing to recognise their role in the sustainable management of these. Lack of participation: Indigenous peoples are often not consulted in a free, prior and informed manner about projects that affect their territories, which violates their fundamental rights. Culturalisation: Projects can impose external development models that are not compatible with indigenous peoples’ worldviews and cultural practices, eroding their cultural identity. Unequal benefits: The economic benefits generated by carbon markets are often not shared equitably with indigenous communities, who bear the greatest environmental and social costs.

Other General Reviews

• Double counting: There is a risk that emissions reductions are counted twice, both in the country that generated them and in the country that acquired the carbon credits, undermining the environmental integrity of the system.
• Loss of ambition: There are fears that carbon markets could undermine national emissions reduction efforts as countries could become overly reliant on purchasing carbon credits rather than implementing more ambitious mitigation measures.
• Lack of transparency: The complexity of carbon markets and the diversity of mechanisms established in Article 6 can hinder transparency and accountability.
• Negative social and environmental impacts: Emissions reduction projects can have negative social and environmental impacts if not implemented with appropriate safeguards.
• Unequal distribution of benefits: Benefits generated by carbon markets may be concentrated among a few actors, rather than distributed equitably between developed and developing countries.

Reflecting on the Article 6.4 agreement, Olga Gassan-Zade, former chair of the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body, told Carbon Brief that it remains to be seen what difference the mechanism will make: “Only time will tell whether it will be able to mitigate large-scale effects or become another expensive toy to support the agenda of some parties.”

Personally, I believe that it is necessary to work on the education and training of faith communities, of Indigenous Peoples, of vulnerable communities, regarding these agreements and the implications they will have for peoples in the world. Our work as followers of Jesus, who are in favor of life, should lead us to work for seeking peace and justice. The neocolonialism that is present and threatens life should be denounced. Likewise, we should also be shrewd to work as daughters and sons of light prepared for these realities that are adopted at an international level. It is necessary to guarantee and respect the rights of indigenous peoples, women, children, society in general, promote climate justice, establish social and environmental safeguards, prioritize rights-based approaches, and strive for effective participation. Transparent, intercultural dialogue between governments, companies, civil society and indigenous peoples is necessary to address these criticisms and ensure that carbon markets become an effective tool for climate action. Since the root of the issue lies in economic systems—specifically capitalist and neoliberal models that are directly complicit in causing climate change—the greatest criticism is how these systems can offer solutions when they are responsible for the planet’s collapse. Drawing from our faith in Jesus and even from indigenous wisdom we seek proposals to permeate society with resilient systems—systems that have endured and offered alternative ways of communal, reciprocal, and supportive living, grounded in mutuality with the Earth. It is necessary that the applications of these alternatives of life be manifest in our ecclesiology, theologies and missiology. Furthermore, through faith in Jesus, we recognize and love God as the Creator. Consequently, we are called to love His creation, as taught in the Bible.

This theological creed, which we embrace as Christians, is affirmed by Minister Marina Silva in an interview.

Conversation with Jocabed Solano & Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva at COP29

I also think that it is important that we continue to raise youth, indigenous peoples, children, and members of the church in general to influence these spaces. To do this, we must begin at local, national, regional and international levels by learning about the agreements that have been adopted over the years at the COPs, understanding the language of the documents, and preparing ourselves to make a concrete impact. We must also share stories—both positive ones of resilience, as seen in projects and community efforts, as well as negative ones, such as the devastating effects climate change and biodiversity loss on people’s lives.

Our pastoral ministry must embrace these dimensions. In my advocacy journey, I have participated in diverse dialogues and initiatives: speaking with the Brazilian Minister of Environment about the Church’s role, collaborating with a Methodist pastor leading negotiators in Korea, participating in discussions on with “land use,” in the food pavilion on the subject of food sovereignty, as well as in the faith pavilion on two occasions: once, in the science pavilion, on indigenous knowledge and science, and then in the indigenous pavilion on stories of hope, life narratives against extractivism towards the land. I have also dialogued with university students on the importance of advocacy and the profession in these spaces. Additionally, I have supported negotiations on agriculture, contributed to meetings for document submissions for upcoming workshops on the agriculture platform, advocated for integrating indigenous knowledge into state-level strategies, and accompanied efforts related to Article 6 and bilateral discussions.

Finally, personally, my hope is grounded in the recognition that the Creator loves His creation and that the power of His resurrection is mobilizing many people. Through their struggles, resistance, and resilience, they are offering alternative narratives to those that promote the destruction of the earth. This hope is expressed in concrete actions that bring life. Recognizing that evil will not prevail (Psalm 1:6) inspires us to continue raising our voices, proclaiming justice and confronting injustice. We long for the renewal of all creation and eagerly await total reconciliation found in Jesus.

I extend gratitude to the World Council of Churches for inviting me to be part of their delegation as part of the Indigenous Peoples’ Reference Group. Thank you to the Indigenous Memory team, to the Tearfund youth network, to the Indigenous Climate Change Caucus, to the Environment Ministry of Panama for accrediting me, to the Creation Care network and to Freedom and Justice in Lausanne for your prayers and support. To all my friends and family, thank you for for taking care of me and your encouragement in this work.

Editor’s note: This work is a translation, and has been minorly edited for clarity.By: Jocabed R Solano Miselis

There is no climate justice without justice for all creation.

Every year, thousands of people from all over the world gather at the COP on climate change. COP29 is the Conference of the Parties, an annual meeting of countries that have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). At these conferences, decisions are made to combat climate change, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions or adapting to the consequences of global warming.

As part of the delegation in Panama and the delegation of the World Council of Churches, participating in COP 29 was an opportunity to make an impact for my faith not only as a citizen in Panama, but as a citizen in the world.

Personally, faith in Jesus moves me to make an impact for indigenous territories, in local government and at an international level. For me, a faith that lives in solidarity, walking the realities of vulnerable peoples, is an impact of daily life intertwined with national realities and that involves announcing the good news and denouncing injustice.

There was significant the disappointment at COP29 due to the lack of commitment from the so-called “rich countries” from a capitalist perspective. From a Gunadule perspective, however, one is rich when we know how to relate to the land, when we cultivate it and learn from it. There is both respect and reciprocity.

A new global target for climate finance was agreed on at COP29, setting a goal of $300 billion annually by 2035 from a range of sources, including public and private funds. This target replaces the previous target of $100 billion and seeks to mobilise greater resources to help developing countries meet the challenges of climate change. However, many critics argue that the agreements reached at COP29 were not ambitious enough to limit global warming to 1.5°C, as set out in the Paris Agreement. Despite the new financial commitments, some consider that the proposed action was not sufficient to address the urgency of the climate crisis.

The Presidency of this COP 29 managed to reach a decision on articles 6.2 and 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, an agreement that will pave the way for carbon trading between countries and the creation of a regulated global market. The implications of this adoption should be addressed in urgent dialogue with the most vulnerable communities, such as the Indigenous Peoples, since much of this regulated market seeks to create a market in indigenous territories. Some critical points of article 6 of the Paris Agreement in the context of Carbon Markets from indigenous perspectives include the loss of lands and territories: Emission reduction projects, which support carbon markets, often involve the acquisition of indigenous lands, which violates their ancestral rights and way of life. Forced displacement: These initiatives can lead to the displacement of indigenous communities from their traditional territories, affecting their livelihoods and their cultural connection to the land. Violation of customary rights: Carbon markets can undermine indigenous peoples’ customary rights over their lands and natural resources, failing to recognise their role in the sustainable management of these. Lack of participation: Indigenous peoples are often not consulted in a free, prior and informed manner about projects that affect their territories, which violates their fundamental rights. Culturalisation: Projects can impose external development models that are not compatible with indigenous peoples’ worldviews and cultural practices, eroding their cultural identity. Unequal benefits: The economic benefits generated by carbon markets are often not shared equitably with indigenous communities, who bear the greatest environmental and social costs.

Other General Reviews

• Double counting: There is a risk that emissions reductions are counted twice, both in the country that generated them and in the country that acquired the carbon credits, undermining the environmental integrity of the system.
• Loss of ambition: There are fears that carbon markets could undermine national emissions reduction efforts as countries could become overly reliant on purchasing carbon credits rather than implementing more ambitious mitigation measures.
• Lack of transparency: The complexity of carbon markets and the diversity of mechanisms established in Article 6 can hinder transparency and accountability.
• Negative social and environmental impacts: Emissions reduction projects can have negative social and environmental impacts if not implemented with appropriate safeguards.
• Unequal distribution of benefits: Benefits generated by carbon markets may be concentrated among a few actors, rather than distributed equitably between developed and developing countries.

Reflecting on the Article 6.4 agreement, Olga Gassan-Zade, former chair of the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body, told Carbon Brief that it remains to be seen what difference the mechanism will make: “Only time will tell whether it will be able to mitigate large-scale effects or become another expensive toy to support the agenda of some parties.”

Personally, I believe that it is necessary to work on the education and training of faith communities, of Indigenous Peoples, of vulnerable communities, regarding these agreements and the implications they will have for peoples in the world. Our work as followers of Jesus, who are in favor of life, should lead us to work for seeking peace and justice. The neocolonialism that is present and threatens life should be denounced. Likewise, we should also be shrewd to work as daughters and sons of light prepared for these realities that are adopted at an international level. It is necessary to guarantee and respect the rights of indigenous peoples, women, children, society in general, promote climate justice, establish social and environmental safeguards, prioritize rights-based approaches, and strive for effective participation. Transparent, intercultural dialogue between governments, companies, civil society and indigenous peoples is necessary to address these criticisms and ensure that carbon markets become an effective tool for climate action. Since the root of the issue lies in economic systems—specifically capitalist and neoliberal models that are directly complicit in causing climate change—the greatest criticism is how these systems can offer solutions when they are responsible for the planet’s collapse. Drawing from our faith in Jesus and even from indigenous wisdom we seek proposals to permeate society with resilient systems—systems that have endured and offered alternative ways of communal, reciprocal, and supportive living, grounded in mutuality with the Earth. It is necessary that the applications of these alternatives of life be manifest in our ecclesiology, theologies and missiology. Furthermore, through faith in Jesus, we recognize and love God as the Creator. Consequently, we are called to love His creation, as taught in the Bible.

This theological creed, which we embrace as Christians, is affirmed by Minister Marina Silva in an interview.

Conversation with Jocabed Solano & Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva at COP29

I also think that it is important that we continue to raise youth, indigenous peoples, children, and members of the church in general to influence these spaces. To do this, we must begin at local, national, regional and international levels by learning about the agreements that have been adopted over the years at the COPs, understanding the language of the documents, and preparing ourselves to make a concrete impact. We must also share stories—both positive ones of resilience, as seen in projects and community efforts, as well as negative ones, such as the devastating effects climate change and biodiversity loss on people’s lives.

Our pastoral ministry must embrace these dimensions. In my advocacy journey, I have participated in diverse dialogues and initiatives: speaking with the Brazilian Minister of Environment about the Church’s role, collaborating with a Methodist pastor leading negotiators in Korea, participating in discussions on with “land use,” in the food pavilion on the subject of food sovereignty, as well as in the faith pavilion on two occasions: once, in the science pavilion, on indigenous knowledge and science, and then in the indigenous pavilion on stories of hope, life narratives against extractivism towards the land. I have also dialogued with university students on the importance of advocacy and the profession in these spaces. Additionally, I have supported negotiations on agriculture, contributed to meetings for document submissions for upcoming workshops on the agriculture platform, advocated for integrating indigenous knowledge into state-level strategies, and accompanied efforts related to Article 6 and bilateral discussions.

Finally, personally, my hope is grounded in the recognition that the Creator loves His creation and that the power of His resurrection is mobilizing many people. Through their struggles, resistance, and resilience, they are offering alternative narratives to those that promote the destruction of the earth. This hope is expressed in concrete actions that bring life. Recognizing that evil will not prevail (Psalm 1:6) inspires us to continue raising our voices, proclaiming justice and confronting injustice. We long for the renewal of all creation and eagerly await total reconciliation found in Jesus.

I extend gratitude to the World Council of Churches for inviting me to be part of their delegation as part of the Indigenous Peoples’ Reference Group. Thank you to the Indigenous Memory team, to the Tearfund youth network, to the Indigenous Climate Change Caucus, to the Environment Ministry of Panama for accrediting me, to the Creation Care network and to Freedom and Justice in Lausanne for your prayers and support. To all my friends and family, thank you for for taking care of me and your encouragement in this work.

Editor’s note: This work is a translation, and has been minorly edited for clarity.

We bring you some comments on the Environmental challenges in DRC Congo, written by Nshizirungu Hubert, project assistant at World Evangelical Alliance’s Sustainability Center.

Hubert is a part-time student, pursuing a Masters of Sustainability and Risk Management at the Ostafalia University of Applied Science.

Thousands of Congolese workers cram into a cobalt mining pit (Siddharth Kara); image sourced from https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/phone-electric-vehicle-congo-cobalt-mine-b2277665.html

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has numerous environmental issues because of an intricate relationship of historical, political, economic, and social variables. These challenges threaten not only the country’s great biodiversity but also the financial security and health of its citizens.

One of the most significant concerns is deforestation, mostly caused by agricultural development, logging, and charcoal manufacture. According to the World Bank, the DRC has lost approximately 0.3% of its forest cover each year from 2000 to 2018. This not only decreases carbon storage capacity but also worsens soil degradation and habitat degradation, providing a threat to Indigenous communities that rely on woodland resources for food and cultural activities (World Bank, 2020).

Further, mining activities, notably for minerals such as coltan, gold, and cobalt present major risks to the environment. These activities frequently occur in environmentally sensitive locations, destroying habitats, polluting rivers with toxic substances, and degrading soil. Cobalt extraction, an essential element in batteries for electric vehicles and electronics, has been connected to deforestation and water contamination, exacerbating environmental concerns (Tsuruta et al., 2019).

Insufficient waste management systems exacerbate emissions in cities and natural areas. With increasing urbanization and growing populations, municipal waste production has risen dramatically, exceeding existing disposal systems. In places like Kinshasa, rubbish frequently moves up in rivers or open landfills, poisoning water sources and threatening the health of aquatic ecosystems. The lack of effective waste treatment facilities not only endangers populations’ health, but also leads to the deterioration of air, soil, and water quality (Schipper et al., 2019).

The impact of global warming poses another major challenge for the DRC, resulting in irregular weather patterns, a rising number of catastrophic events, and fluctuations in agricultural production. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that rising temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns are expected to exacerbate existing environmental stressors, aggravating food poverty and displacing vulnerable communities. (IPCC, 2019).

Addressing these numerous issues entails striking a balance between conservation initiatives and environmentally friendly growth goals. By tackling forest destruction, inappropriate mining activities, waste management problems, and climate change adaptation, the DRC can protect the environment while also promoting socioeconomic development.

Isaiah 24:4-6 reads “The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.” Stewardship is emphasized in these words, acknowledging that God owns the earth and that it is our responsibility to care for it with respect. They also caution against the negative effects of disobeying this obligation, such as the devastation of the ecosystem and the coming judgment of God.

References

1. World Bank. (2020). Congo, Democratic Republic of the – Forest loss (annual %). Retrieved from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.ZS?locations=CD

2. Tsuruta, D., Murayama, T., & Nakagoshi, N. (2019). Environmental impacts of mining activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A critical review. Sustainability, 11(15), 4195.

3. Schipper, E. L., Delaney, A., D’Almeida, A., & Wilches-Chaux, G. (2019). Urban waste management in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Challenges and opportunities. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 21(1), 182-189.

4. IPCC. (2019). IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/.

We share with you some good news we’ve received from the good people at the Lausanne Movement, Canada. Joel Zantingh, the Director of Engagement there, reports:

It began with a simple question.

Last summer (2022), the Board and Staff serving the Lausanne Movement in Canada asked: ‘What would it look like to collaborate with our mission partners around themes that will help equip Canadians to participate in God’s mission more effectively?’

Creation Care, one of seven focus areas Lausanne Movement Canada has prioritized, was selected for the pilot phase of this project. From February 15 to March 22, we hosted an online webinar experience for interested Canadians to interact with featured guests from A Rocha, Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network, Tearfund Canada, and Renew Our World. The format provided interaction with clips from the Lausanne Global Classroom: Creation Care content, then built upon the themes each week with interviews, breakout discussion, questions and reflections, as well as prayer. You can learn about how we structured the content here.

For participants, there were some ‘ahas’ around starting local, operating from a place of worship, stewardship, and wonder of God’s creation. One participant, Olivia (a pseudonym), expressed the following during our sixth session,

“We’ve been at this a long time, so how do we renew our spirits in this? We are so busy to do the work of creation care, that we forget to “slow down” and let God refresh us”.

She went on to say,

“I really resonated with that video clip (from Dave Bookless), where he shared, “If you don’t know what to do, pray.” That hit me like a ton of bricks, realizing I’ve been trudging along with the same things for a long time, but maybe it’s time for me to change this—maybe it’s time for me to pray for new revelation. God’s revelation is constant, and maybe my journey is supposed to change.

Praise God for the gift of being renewed, by His Word and Spirit, and through this community of fellow believers, sojourning together in caring for creation. You are welcome to get in touch with Joel at  learn@lausannecanada.com from Lausanne Movement Canada, for further guidance on how you could initiate something similar where you have been planted, to make a difference.

The new IPCCC Sixth Assessment Synthesis Report (from the Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change) was released on March 20^th. The full report took 8 years, runs to 8,000 pages and involved over 780 scientists! Let’s break it down to make it easier to understand:

Chris Elisara writes (based on the 36 page Summary for Policymakers):

Note the “very high confidence” level of the scientific consensus of these findings. First the bad news: “Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health (very high confidence). There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all (very high confidence) … The choices and actions implemented in this decade will have impacts now and for thousands of years” (IPCC, p.25)

While the time to act is fast running out before we are locked into higher levels of temperature increase with the worst possible outcomes for people and the planet, there is still hope if we can step up do what’s needed now. To quote the report again, “Deep, rapid and sustained mitigation and accelerated implementation of adaptation actions in this decade would reduce projected losses and damages for humans and ecosystems (very high confidence (p.27). Feasible, effective, and low-cost options for mitigation and adaptation are already available, with differences across systems and regions. (high confidence) (p.30, emphasis added.)

The good news is that we already have the technology and solutions we need at hand. The time to rally and use them is now.

To learn more about what LWCNN partners are saying about the report, read the related news items below:

• Katharine Hayhoe, WEA’s Climate Ambassador with a one minute video summary of the Synthesis Report. She also released a helpful summary on Twitter, including: “Our choices matter and the faster we act, the better off we will all be – all of us who call this planet home.”
• A Rocha International’s Response to the latest IPCC Report highlights the devastating reality and risks the report reveals, and that there are not one but three crises: climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty and inequality. A Rocha International emphasises that there is a ‘rapidly closing window of opportunity’ but if we act now, we can still secure a liveable, sustainable future for all.

It is now almost 3 years since we lost our dear brother, John Houghton. We have just learned of a tribute by his and our good friend Bob White that was published in The Royal Society several months ago.

The picture above is from the article – I daresay none of us have seen him this young. Following is a brief excerpt:

John Houghton made seminal contributions to understanding the temperature and structure of the stratosphere. After gaining the highest first in physics at Oxford, his DPhil involved building a radiometer that was flown in a post-war Mosquito. It started a long interest in developing instrumentation. He completed his National Service doing research into atmospheric composition at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, then returned to 21 years in Oxford. He led a team that, with others, built a series of instruments launched on Nimbus satellites during 1970 to 1978 to measure infrared radiation from the stratosphere. At age 48 he left academia to head up the Appleton Research Laboratories, tasked to move them to the Rutherford Laboratory and realign their work from upper atmospheric radio research to space support. Four years later he was appointed director general of the Meteorological Office. In his eight-year term, he moved it from dependence on the Ministry of Defence to becoming an independent agency, developed its commercial arm and strengthened its research. He also founded the Hadley Centre to work on climate-related issues. His most significant global contribution was helping to set up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), then chairing its working group on scientific assessments through their first three reports during 1990 to 2001. After retirement he devoted his time to raising awareness of climate change through many lectures and articles, and co-founded the John Ray Initiative to address the challenges of sustainable development and environmental stewardship. Appropriately, the Sixth IPCC WG1 Assessment Report in August 2021 was dedicated posthumously to him.

…In 2007 the IPCC was announced as the joint recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, shared with Al Gore Jr. The citation stated it was ‘for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change’. John, along with a group of others from the IPCC, were delighted to attend the ceremony. It remained one of the highlights of his career, along with receiving the Japan Prize in the previous year. In August 2021, the sixth assessment report was released with a posthumous dedication to Sir John Houghton, a mark of the respect in which the scientific community held him.

Read the rest of the article here.

The Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network is committed to the idea that healing God’s creation is not going to happen because of governments or huge organizations, but because of many thousands of small efforts by Christians in congregations around the world.

One such report has come to us from Katie Young, an American missionary in Marseille, France:

I am just sending along anyway a few photos from the weekend for the creation that we had here in Marseille, France, 8-9 October 2022. I am an American missionary here for the last 30+ years. I am also an ambassador with A Rocha and Eglise verte (Green church). This is the first time we had a weekend like this. Our church just joined the Green church program three years ago. 

Jean-François Mouhot, directeur A Rocha France, spoke to a small group of people on Friday afternoon, then at ‘la Pastorale’ (pastors in our area of the city) Friday night, then on Saturday we heard from our young people’s groupe, Pollen, then planted at our “terrain visa vert”, then came back for a finger food apéro, the conference was after that and our chorus opened it up with 3 songs. Sunday, JF spoke again at Bible classe, had a creation themed worship time, then we even had a vegan pot luck meal. In the afternoon we had ateliers zéro waste toothpaste, face lotions and laundry soap. A lot of people came, and it was awesome to meet other christians from other churches who are interested in caring for the creation. I announced the start of a ‘groupe local A Rocha Marseille’ in January, meaning getting together among Christians concerned for the environment and learning and planning things together. Many were interested. It was a great weekend and we thank the Lord!

Thank you so much for what you do !

Blessings-

Katie Young

Katie sent us a lot of pictures. Here are just a few:

Tell us about your local activities, too!

Dave Bookless has shared an excellent summary of the final conference in the LWCCN Global Campaign for Creation Care and the Gospel campaign.

The report can be accessed below.

There were a number of Creation Care organizations present at COP27. Most of us, however, weren’t able to attend. The following follow up summaries are available – some are reports, some are links to post-COP webinars.

The Christian Climate Observers Program (CCOP) sent out daily reports; all are accessible here if you want a day-by-day recap of what it was like to be at COP27. (Remember, this program is run every year – it’s not to early to let them know if you want to be part of the team for COP28… in Dubai!

It’s not a faith-based report, but EcoWatch has a good summary of the accomplishments and disappointments coming out of COP27 here. Also check the Guardian’s very good Explainer which outlines the outcomes from COP27.

If you’d like a video from someone who was there, check JRI’s President Mike Morecroft’s report here.

For a slightly different take, check out SAT-7’s COP27 reporting on this page. SAT-7 is a Middle East based Christian television outlet, and this reporting is helpfully geared toward that audience.

An impressive number of Christian organizations attend the United Nations COP climate conferences each year, and many of them will be sending regular updates from COP27 so the rest of us can keep up to date with what is happening on the ground in Sharm el Sheikh, and pray intelligently about issues as they arise.

For regular updates, here are some of our partner organizations with the links to sign up:

TEARFUND – They will house COP27 information on their Climate Landing page (a good page to bookmark permanently!), and specific prayers for COP can be found here. If you still use Twitter in this Elon Musk era, Tearfund’s Action twitter feed is here.

CHRISTIAN CLIMATE OBSERVERS PROGRAM (CCOP): The Christian Climate Observers Program (CCOP) will bring a team of 36 emerging Christians leaders to the COP27 UN climate summit in Egypt this November 7 – 19.  COP27 is the annual UN gathering where world leaders negotiate how to solve the climate crisis.  The CCOP is a mentoring and training program designed to empower Christian leaders to take the next step forward in climate advocacy within their spheres of influence.  You can follow along with what’s happening at the COP by signing up for their daily COP newsletter.  To learn more about CCOP you can visit the website: http://www.ccopclimate.org/.  Applications for next year CCOP cohort open June 1, 2023. 

Note: CCOP is a collaborative effort by mostly North American creation care organizations and Christian Universities.

CLIMATE INTERCESSORS: This group meets throughout the year for monthly online prayer meetings about the climate crisis. These folks have solved the time zone problem by holding each meeting four different times. Their next meeting is on Nov 8, and will focus on COP27. Here is their latest newsletter, and the schedule for the upcoming meeting is as follows. (These folks have solved the time zone problem by holding each meeting four different times – no excuses!):

Join our global zoom prayer meetings on
Tuesday, November 8

10h00 GMT (18h00 SGT; 21h00 AEDT: 23h00 NZDT)
13h00 GMT (8h00 EST; 5h00 PST; 21h00 SGT;  Wed: 24h00 AEDT)
20h00 GMT (15h00 EST; 12h00 PST;; Wed: 4h00 SGT; 7h00 AEDT)
20h00 EST (17h00 PST;; Wed: 1h00 GMT, 9h00 SGT; 12h00 AEDT)Zoom link for all meetings:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3908003224
Meeting ID: 390 800 3224

And finally, the John Ray Initiative will be offering a post-COP webinar by their President and IPCC lead author Mike Morecroft at

8 – 9:30 pm UK time on November 17.

Registration is here (Free but the Zoom link only available after registering.) (Please note: as of this writing, just 29 places were still available. You have been warned!)