The 27th United Nations conference on Climate, COP 27, is being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The Carmelite NGO is one of more than forty faith-based groups that is organizing side events, meditations, interventions, and actions to raise awareness for the need to intervene positively in the future of our common home.
The Carmelite NGO’s conference will be held on Thursday, November 17. Besides the Carmelite NGO, the conference is sponsored by Boston College, Jeunesse Ètudiante Catholique Internationale (IYCS-JECI), the Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries (SCMM), UNANIMA International (UI), and VIVAT International.
The conference is entitled Catholic Perspectives at COP 27: Climate and Biodiversity Justice from a Faith Perspective. What’s Next? Eduardo Agosto Scarel of the Arago, Castille, and Valencia Province is the Carmelite representative. Other speakers include: Innocent Odongo (IYSC); Archbishop Nicolas Thévenin, Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt; Musamba Mubanga (Caritas Internationalis); Ogonna Hilary Nwainya (Boston College); Leonard Chiti, SJ, (SCIAF); Lara Hicks (UNANIMA International); Prisca Koffi (IYCS); Paul Rahmat, SVD (VIVAT International); Prince Papa (LSM); and Sara Bernard-Hoverstad (Boston College).
The COP27 organization categorized the conference as one which enhances knowledge, inclusion, and enables for action.
The previous COP was held in Glasgow, Scotland. Efforts were made there for faith-based NGOs to engage in the climate dialogue, bridging the gap between faith and science. The effort resulted in The Appeal. Signatories represented a broad range of faith leaders, including representatives from across the Christian denominations, both Sunni and Shi’a Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism and Jainism.
The Appeal calls for the world to achieve net-zero carbon emissions; presses wealthier nations and those with the greatest responsibility to step up their climate action at home and support the efforts of vulnerable countries; urges governments to transition to clean energy and sustainable land use practices, environmentally friendly food systems and responsible financing; commits the faith leaders themselves to greater climate action (to educate and influence members of their traditions and actively participate in the public debate on environmental issues.
The Appeal followed months of dialogue between faith leaders and scientists, building a dialogue to agree a common moral duty to tackle climate change.
The COP conferences are put on by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Carmelite NGO is an accredited member. More than 2000 speakers are expected to address the more than 35,000 expected participants in a variety of gatherings covering more than 300 topics over 12 days.
For more information about the conference in English: https://cop27.eg/#/
