24.10.2009
350 for Climate Action
LWI Council Press Release No. 06/2009LWF Council Affirms Global Commitment to Reducing CO2 Emissions
GENEVA, 24 October 2009 (LWI) - To mark the International Day of Climate Action on 24 October, more than 100 representatives of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches from around the world celebrated a morning prayer during which they formed the number 350.
This was in support of the global campaign 350.org, which advocates further efforts and commitment to reducing the maximum level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million (ppm).
The climate action prayer was observed in the context of the 22-27 October LWF Council meeting at Chavannes-de-Bogis near Geneva, Switzerland, whose agenda includes deliberations on additional efforts to reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere to 350 ppm, which experts consider to be the safe upper limit for the CO2 emissions.
At its June 2008 meeting, in Arusha, Tanzania, the Council resolved to further engage the LWF and its partners in promoting strong political commitments that would lead to lowering CO2 levels from 390 to 350 ppm by the year 2020.
"I very much hope that the Council continues to take further action toward this goal," said Rev. Roger Schmidt, secretary for Youth at the Department for Mission and Development, presiding at the morning prayer.
"We can no longer wait but must actively contribute to global ecumenical and interreligious initiatives to respond to this crisis," asserted LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko earlier in his report the Council meeting on 23 October. He noted the organization will also have a delegation with observer status at the December 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Climate change is also related to the theme of this year's Council meeting, "Upholding Human Dignity: Confronting Human Trafficking," in view of the reality that people who are displaced by climate-related crises become desperate economic refugees. (311 words)
Photos on the LWF Council's support for climate action are available on the
LWF Web site at: www.lutheranworld.org/Council/2009/2009-Council.html
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Around 75 representatives from LWF member churches and partner organizations are attending this year's Council meeting at Chavannes de Bogis near Geneva, Switzerland. An additional 90 registered participants include invited guests, stewards, interpreters and translators, media persons and LWF staff.
The 49-member Council is the LWF's governing body, meeting every 12-18 months between Assemblies held every six years. The current Council was appointed at the July 2003 Tenth Assembly in Winnipeg, Canada. It comprises the President, Treasurer as well as lay and ordained persons, representing the different LWF regions.
The Council host church, the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein has 6,818 members, and has been an LWF member church since 1979. It is headed by Ms Dagmar Magold.
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