The World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, and the ACT Alliance, have issued a joint 'Call to Action for Biodiversity and Climate Justice at COP16' in Cali, Colombia.

They said that as part of COP16 in Cali, churches and faith-based organizations recognize that biodiversity loss has reached alarming levels, "driven by an extractivist economic system and worsened by the impacts of climate change."

The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is convening from October 21 to November, with climate change always high on the agenda.

The WCC represents more than half a billion mainly Anglican, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians, while the LWF groups over 78 million Christians in the Lutheran tradition in 99 countries. ACT Alliance is a global faith-based coalition organized in national and regional forums in more than 120 countries.

The three groups with headquarters in Geneva, titled their action, "A Call to Action for Biodiversity and Climate Justice at COP16."

"The ACT Alliance, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and the World Council of Churches (WCC) reaffirm our commitment to play an essential role in protecting biodiversity and the health of the planet.

"We understand the urgent need to act in the face of the climate crisis that is devastating our ecosystems."

They noted their belief in promoting just relationships that require ethical and constructive dialogue between the natural, social, and theological sciences and traditional knowledge and wisdom.

"Each area of knowledge contributes to our collective reflection on what it means to be human and how we should act to safeguard the peace and well-being of all creatures, for both this generation and those to come," their statement said.

PROTECTION OF BIODIVERSITY

"In this regard, the protection of biodiversity must be an unwavering priority for governments, emphasizing its central role in tackling environmental and climate challenges and fostering peace."

They explained that such commitment must align with respect for the rights of Indigenous peoples, youth, women, and girls, and historically marginalized communities, using a human rights-based approach.

"These communities not only experience firsthand the consequences of climate change but are also stewards of biodiversity," said the three organizations.

"Their leadership is crucial to preserving life on our planet. We urge governments to ensure inclusive dialogue that facilitates the effective participation of all stakeholders. Only in this way can fair and sustainable solutions for the well-being of our common home be developed."

The statement noted that limiting global warming to 1.5°C is critical, as climate change is a major cause of biodiversity loss and exacerbates this crisis.

"Achieving this goal requires the fair and equitable elimination of fossil fuel use, as they are one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions."

Only through a transition to renewable and sustainable energy sources, combined with firm policies and global commitments to align financial flows with the Paris Agreement, can the world effectively allay climate change effects' and protect biodiversity.

"As churches and faith-based organizations, we promote the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity and call for an urgent restructuring of power relations, the recognition of the rights of nature, and the transformation of the current extractivist economic model, which has contributed to biodiversity degradation and further exacerbated the climate crisis," the ecumenical groups said.

"A new social pact is imperative to address the root causes of the destruction we are witnessing."