16.11.2018

One for the climate

From the 14th to the 16th  November 2018 leaders and Development Officers of UEM member churches from Central and East Africa met for a three days’ workshop hosted by the Anglican Church of Rwanda, Shyogwe Diocese. They were twenty five people, church leaders and Co-workers from: CBCA (Goma, DRC), KAD, NWD, ECD (Tanzania), EPR, EAR (Rwanda) and their institutions. Since 2008, climate protection has become a key priority for UEM as an international communion of churches. The meeting was jointly facilitated by the UEM JPIC Advocacy Officer and Co-workers in the Africa Region. Repercussions of climate change are felt in various ways throughout both natural and human systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was shared with appreciation and reflected on UEM supported projects. Participants looked back at achievements of the UEM’s Climate Protection Program during the period 2010-2016 and the resulted recommendations for churches to successfully further adaptation and mitigation interventions for climate protection. African churches decided to give Eco-justice and environmental protection a special attention in their monthly plans. Welcoming all delegates, Bishop Dr Kalimba Jered thanked UEM underlining: “as promoted by UEM and her members, let us be one aiming at bringing a new Eden Garden in a whole creation which is suffering from the today’s environmental challenges. In all countries, Rainfalls are disturbed, there are strong hurricanes, climate change has serious impacts on the world’s water systems through more flooding and droughts, land is strongly destroyed, livestock is affected and relevant actions are needed”. Particularly vulnerable to the climatic change are the rainfed agricultural systems on which the livelihoods of a large population of Africa currently depend. In 2016, some African church leaders signed an agreement to be members of “One Climate Club” and be actors of a joint international climate protection on the base of equity, justice and community through the campaign “One for the Climate”. Two Representatives, Mr.  Edgar Boes-Wenner and Dr. Tobias Temming took part to the workshop and shared in their presentation on “One for the Climate” plans. Church delegates from the DRC, Tanzania and Rwanda reported very encouraging church initiatives supported by UEM: Tree planting, photovoltaic installation, solar home systems, distribution of Energy Saving Stoves, Ceramic Water Filters, Waste Management, etc. Churches are already fulfilling this responsibility but they committed themselves to do more. In a short term, it was decided to implement a new action plan consisting of the following:

• Solar Power Plants and energy efficiency at Church owned institutions,
• Off-Grid community Solar Home Systems,
• Involvement of the church banks, micro credit cooperatives to safeguard any foreign investment,
• To include other UEM member churches in African region in the scale-up phase as soon as possible. In a midterm, it was reiterated that all African churches continue to be committed to strengthen and improve their climate change projects by:
  • Integrating eco-theology and theology of creation and environment in theological and other training programs including development programs; strengthening and reviving church JPIC commissions, addressing poverty in all its dimensions,
  • Including  and strengthening climate justice and environment protection in church Agenda and develop a policy to make Climate change a crosscutting issue and mainstream it in all church programs;
  • Creating a network of churches in the Great Lakes Region to promote climate justice and environmental protection, mainstream of climate justice in our churches, facilitate exchange and dissemination of relevant materials and network on youth action plans on environmental projects;
  • Promoting renewable energy to reduce pressure on forests.

“We need to see all UEM member churches being more committed to addressing climate change challenges”, concluded participants to the workshop.  UEM Co-workers: Rev Dr John Wesley Kabango and Rev Dr Kahongya Kambale.