Catholic charities have announced numerous initiatives for COP27, which begins in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt on Sunday, 6 November.
The twenty-seventh Conference of Parties on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change follows last year’s COP26 in Glasgow, which saw UK religious groups join civic action demanding a substantive response to the climate crisis.
Many expressed disappointment at the limited achievements of last year’s summit, and have described COP27 as a vital opportunity for effective action.
CAFOD and Westminster Justice and Peace will be among the organisations attending the Global Day of Action rally in London on 12 November, the Saturday in the middle of the two-week conference. The rally will march from the Shell building on the South Bank to Trafalgar Square, demanding definite commitments from world leaders.
Paul Chitnis, the director of Jesuit Missions, said it was essential for the conference to “continue the legacy of COP26 in delivering on significant finance for loss and damage”.
Jesuit Missions, the development office of the Jesuits in Britain, has invited its supporters in the UK to walk a mile and pray for change as an act of solidarity with those suffering the effects of climate change.
The appeal accompanies the Caravan of Hope Tour in Southern Africa, where three million people have been affected by adverse weather events since 2019. The tour consists of 30 young artists and activists taking part in an 1800km journey across Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi.
The Jesuit Provincial of the Southern African Province, Fr Leonard Chiti SJ, said it was “a moral imperative that world leaders respond to this at COP27 and deliver a financial package for communities impacted by loss and damage”.
“Loss and Damage” is a central theme for many campaigners at COP27, referring specifically to lives, livelihoods and culture damaged and destroyed by climate change. There is mounting pressure for wealthy countries to contribute to a global fund to mitigate the effects of climate change in poorer parts of the world.
SCIAF, the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, said it would send two staff members to Sharm El-Sheikh to advance an agenda focusing on loss and damage. During COP26 last year, Scotland became the first rich country to contribute to a loss and damage fund.
Experts from CAFOD and its partner organisations will also attend COP27, and report on developments in webinars on 7 and 23 November, open to members of the public.
CAFOD has also published prayers of intercession for the two Sundays during the conference, besides its prayer for COP27 which asks God to inspire world leaders “with openness to listen to those most affected by climate change and with courage to act wisely and urgently”.
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