130 faith leaders were gathered at United Nations Environmental Programme's (UNEP) facilities in Nairobi. (Photo:SAFCEI/AACC)
The conference was initiated by the executive director of the South African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI), Bishop Geoff Davies, and hosted by the NCA partners SAFCEI and the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), and the Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA).
Call for action
The conference declaration outlines the moral immobility of the climate talks, and suggests specific and unusual measures that would greatly help to secure a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate treaty from the UN high level climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa, by the end of this year.
Delegates also called on South Africa to stand again with its African peers and for the interests of Africa, in climate talks, rather than aligning itself with other blocs.
Amongst the most affected by climate change
Africans are responsible for a tiny proportion of global emissions, both current and historic, yet are highly likely to be amongst the world’s most affected people, threatened by unprecedented droughts, floods, extreme weather, diminishing food security, poverty, forced migration and increased conflict. Tragically, all too many Africans assume that the increasing hardships forced upon them are acts of God, not realising that these hardships are ever more the consequence of human actions.
Way forward
Towards the high level negotiations in Durban, NCA and partners are planning several activities to mobilize and create awareness about climate change in Africa, as well as in Norway. National faith leaders conferences, youth conferences, petition and a caravan all the way from Nairobi to Durban are some of the activities planned for under the campaign "We Have Faith - Act Now". It will all end up in a big interfaith rally in Durban 27th of November, the day before the negotiations begin, where our message will be handed over to world leaders.
Read the full conference statement here
Visit the campaign, "We Have Faith - Act Now" on Facebook