A diverse group of nearly 50 church leaders, representatives of various faith traditions, ecumenical organisations, indigenous communities, and climate experts have gathered in Brazil's capital from 18-20 March to coordinate efforts for meaningful engagement in the lead-up to COP30, the 2025 United Nations Climate Conference. Their central concern: ensuring that local voices are heard.
The meeting brings together advocates from across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Anglican partners such as the Anglican Communion Office (ACO), alongside other ecumenical bodies working on climate justice.
At the opening prayer service at the Anglican Cathedral of Brasília, faith leaders reflected on the urgency of addressing the climate crisis and the role of faith in driving action. The Most Revd Marinez Bassotto, Primate of the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil, underscored the importance of hope as an active force for change.
“This hope is alive, keeps us moving, and compels us to act today. Waiting for tomorrow drives us to fight now. For those who believe, hope is a verb—it becomes action,” she said. “It should awaken in us an awareness of the deep interconnectedness of all creation, a reciprocal interdependence. This, in turn, must inspire us to an attitude of solidarity and care—a stance that reveals us as children of God.”
Participants represent faith communities from across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Panama, Bolivia, Honduras, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic. Among them are Anglican, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Mennonite, Anabaptist, and Reformed churches, as well as national and regional faith-based organisations and Indigenous networks.
In addition to exchanging concerns and best practices through panel discussions, the group has been working on a “Call to Action” to be presented to the COP30 presidency.
With the upcoming global climate summit set to take place in the Amazon region, the impact of the climate emergency on Indigenous peoples is a focal point of discussions in Brasília.
“We especially recognise the role of Indigenous peoples, who have lived in the Amazon for millennia, caring for the ecosystem and passing down knowledge through generations to preserve their home,” said Jocabed Solano of Panama, Director of Memoria Indígena.
“The Church, in its commitment to environmental and social justice, must firmly support these communities in their struggle to defend their territories and acknowledge their invaluable contribution to the planet,” added Solano, who also serves on the World Council of Churches Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainability.
Roman Catholic Bishop Jerry Ruiz, from Honduras, reflected on the significance of working ecumenically towards COP30.
“Regardless of our religious beliefs, I believe that what unites us is the same spirit. We are united by the cry of the earth, the cry of the poor, the need for justice, the criminalised, displaced, and murdered communities,” he said. “And this must help us overcome our differences, because it is the Kingdom of God that unites us in the same goal and the same objective.”
The event was hosted by the World Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, Christian Aid, Anglican Alliance, Lutheran World Federation, Caritas Internationalis, National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, and the Conference of Bishops of Latin America.