Interfaith Dialogue on Climate urges action, compassion, and resilience ahead of COP29

Faith leaders and advocates worldwide came together on 6 November for a transformative Talanoa Dialogue, organized virtually by the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, co-chaired by the World Council of Churches (WCC). The dialogue provided a vital space for interfaith communities to explore shared goals in preparation for COP29, fostering unity around an urgent call for action on climate justice, compassion, and resilience.

Valeriane Bernard, co-chair of the Interfaith Liaison Committee, welcomed participants and emphasized the Talanoa Dialogue’s purpose as a platform for honest and impactful conversation. “This dialogue allows us to express our hopes, fears, and commitments in addressing the climate crisis together,” she said.

Rev. Henrik Grape, World Council of Churches senior advisor for Care for Creation, Sustainability, and Climate Justice, highlighted the moral responsibility of faith communities to act decisively. “Saving Mother Earth means transcending personal and national interests. As faith communities, we are uniquely positioned to challenge the economic hegemony surrounding climate action,” Grape asserted. He urged a global and unified response to the climate emergency and underscored the critical need for climate financing and an accelerated transition from fossil fuels.

The dialogue featured a briefing from Vicente Paolo Yu, a climate negotiator representing developing nations, who outlined key issues to be addressed at COP29. “One of the most contentious issues will be climate finance,” he explained, noting that developing countries are advocating for increased funding to support adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage initiatives. Yu also underscored the importance of technology transfer to bridge the climate adaptation gap developing nations face.

Yu also observed that the results of the US presidential elections raise uncertainties about the outcomes of COP29. Faith communities have an important role to play in “holding light to the darkness” and advocating for moral and ethical accountability.

Participants discussed core questions centered on the Talanoa framework: “Where are we? Where do we want to go? And how do we get there?” Reflections emphasized the role of education, grassroots advocacy, and unity across faith traditions. Lindsey Fielder Cook, from the Quaker United Nations Office, shared, “We must bring together our grief and hope to God, activating our faith to support climate financing and empower our communities.”

Youth voices brought renewed energy to the event, with college student Gavin Buttafuoco highlighting the eagerness of his generation to engage. “Young people are looking to the interfaith community for guidance in grassroots climate advocacy,” he said, affirming the event’s intergenerational approach to environmental stewardship.

Athena Peralta, director of the World Council of Churches Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, noted, “Our path forward requires holistic approaches, integrating economics, politics, and societal impacts. Together, we must build relationships and champion alternative climate governance systems.”

In closing, Maureen Goodman from the Brahma Kumaris reflected on healing. “It’s time to serve nature with compassion, love, and respect,” calling on participants to adopt a spiritual approach toward planetary health.

The World Council of Churches calls on all faith communities to join in ongoing climate action efforts as COP29 nears, emphasizing the urgency and moral imperative to stand together for a sustainable, just, and resilient future.