Forty young climate activists call for results at COP27 climate conference

Since 2011, young people have represented the LWF at the UN climate change conferences COP, advocating for climate and intergenerational justice. Last year they also participated in the climate march during COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert

Advocating and negotiating for climate justice globally, regionally, and locally

(LWI) – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) will join other faith-based actors and civil society organizations calling for action on the global climate crisis at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from 6 to 18 November.

This year, the LWF delegation to COP is larger than in previous years. It consists of 40 young climate activists from LWF member churches across the globe who will join LWF staff to advocate for climate justice from a faith perspective. Twenty-one women and 19 men from all seven regions of the LWF make up the youth delegation. They come from 33 member churches in 26 countries. This diversity ensures a broad representation across the communion, strengthening LWF’s climate justice efforts.

Following the good experience at COP26 last year, much of LWF’s program at COP27 will take place online. Eight delegates will attend the conference in person, four each week.

“Creation is not for sale” has been one of the key messages of the LWF when calling for climate justice. “This is a strong statement that makes it very clear that God’s creation is not a commodity,” said LWF General Secretary Rev. Anne Burghardt when she met the delegation. “Participating at COP is more than participating in a global event,” she added. “It means engaging in the climate negotiations process not only at the global level but also at regional and national levels.”

“You are the ones who are invited to bring your local and regional concerns to the global level through participation at COP27,” the General Secretary said. “But you are also invited to bring global conversations back to your local and regional level. I am looking forward to seeing what your contributions will be.”

In the run-up to COP27, LWF will host several online workshops to provide training and build the delegation’s capacity for climate advocacy. They form part of a learning process that begins before the conference, analyzes the proceedings during COP27, and evaluates its outcomes. The first introductory meeting in this series took place on 30 September.

Topics of these preparatory workshops include an introduction to eco-theology, the Paris Agreement and its current implementation status, an outlook on the agenda and priorities of COP27, the main policy demands and talking points of LWF for COP27, and how LWF delegates can engage in negotiations.

LWF youth delegates to COP27

Names are listed in alphabetical order.

  • Abishai, Chrio - Christ Lutheran Church, India

  • Addaikalanathan, Samuel - Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC), India

  • Ahdenkari, Linnea - Church of Sweden

  • Alvarez Campos, Jimena - Guatemala Lutheran Church

  • Ashby, Jackson - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

  • Diaz-Reyes, Taina - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

  • Dostál, Jan - Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, Czech Republic (attending in person)

  • Enkono, Johannes - The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN)

  • Fischer, Mateo - Evangelical Church of the River Plate, Agentina

  • Götz, Tim - Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bavaria, Germany

  • Habila, Shede - The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (attending in person)

  • Hamrová, Alžběta - Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, Czech Republic

  • Java Mozombite, Rudy - Lutheran Church of Peru

  • Kada, Patrice - Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic

  • Kapira, Erick - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (attending in person)

  • Khoo, Janice - Lutheran Church in Singapore

  • Kitwa, Cedrick - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Congo

  • Koyiaki, Simon - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya

  • Kuhnert, Katarina - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

  • Kunja, Raj - Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church, India (attending in person)

  • Manurung, Veronica - Protestant Christian Batak Church (HKBP), Indonesia

  • Martschinke, Anna-Lena - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany

  • Marwa, Amos - Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church

  • Maua, Maro - Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church (attending in person)

  • Maupas, Juliette - United Protestant Church of France

  • Meloy, Laura - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (attending in person)

  • Ndondole, Anania - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania

  • Ombese, Sandra - Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church

  • Quito Quintero, Nathaly - Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia

  • Reyna, Fatima - Lutheran Church in El Salvador (attending in person)

  • Riquelme Lizana, Estefania - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile

  • Schwarz, Michelle - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Saxony, Germany (attending in person)

  • Slama, Joanna - The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

  • Slezák, Bence - Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary

  • Solórzano Gudiel, Cristina - Guatemala Lutheran Church

  • Weaver, Sarah - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

  • Wehmann, Janika - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg, Germany

  • Wendland, Carine - Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil

  • Yawa, Clemence - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon

  • Zhakun Oleksandr - German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine

Global Church, NewsBrian FlatgardClimate Change, Youth and Young Adult, Lutheran World FederationComment