At COP30 in Belém, Brazil-dubbed the COP of Truth, the global community gathered to confront urgent climate realities and plan for a sustainable future. While international leaders deliberated in elegant conference halls, millions of African communities continued to face climate change as a daily, lived crisis.
Farmers watched crops fail under extreme heat and erratic rainfall. Rivers that once sustained families and livestock ran dry. Forests, the lungs of the Earth—vanished, leaving communities increasingly vulnerable to floods, droughts, and storms. Fossil fuel projects brought pollution, displacement, and loss of land and livelihoods. Children breathed polluted air, mothers struggled to feed their families, and elders watched pipelines, drilling rigs, and mines encroach on their ancestral lands.
These are not statistics, they are real lives under threat. They tell stories of resilience, courage, and heartbreak. Without decisive action, these stories will multiply, and entire generations will face hardships they did not choose.
Faith as a Moral Compass
Amid the global negotiations, GreenFaith Africa stood firm, insisting that climate action must include justice, dignity, and survival. Our Executive Director, Ms Meryne Warah, addressed the Global Ethical Stocktake Pavilion during the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty side event. She highlighted the moral, social, and spiritual dimensions of the climate crisis, emphasizing that this challenge is far more than technical or economic, it is ethical and deeply human.
Meryne emphasized that fighting fossil fuels is not just about reducing emissions—it is about protecting communities whose lands, water, and livelihoods are under constant threat. Families watch homes and farms destroyed, children grow up in polluted environments, and communities stand strong against corporate and governmental pressure.
Faith, she explained, is not a bystander, it is a source of resilience and unity, empowering communities to act collectively, inspiring courage, and holding the powerful accountable. “Corporations and governments can only succeed with divide-and-rule tactics if communities allow them,” Meryne said. Across Africa, faith leaders guide communities through uncertainty, women defend ancestral lands, elders preserve cultural heritage, and youth advocate for a sustainable future.
Unity: The Sword and Shield Against Exploitation
Faith is the glue binding African communities. It motivates moral choices, inspires collective action, and strengthens resilience in crises. Fossil fuel companies often exploit divisions within communities, but where unity prevails, manipulation fails and exploitation loses its power.
From the Niger Delta to East Africa, communities confront shrinking grazing lands, polluted rivers, and invasive industrial projects. Yet faith, moral courage, and solidarity create a bulwark against exploitation. Women protect seeds and farming traditions, youth demand accountability, and elders safeguard cultural heritage. These acts of unity turn faith into both sword and shield for environmental and social justice.
A Narrative of Courage, Hope, and Justice
Africa is rewriting the narrative. Faith communities reclaim moral authority, youth emerge as bold advocates, and citizens demand that governments and corporations respect their lands, water, and livelihoods. Moral courage drives action; unity empowers communities to resist greed and short-term interests. Hope becomes tangible through collective action demanding justice at local, national, and global levels.
At COP30, GreenFaith Africa calls on world leaders and policymakers to act decisively:
- Enforce a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty prioritizing lives, ecosystems, and dignity over profit.
- Amplify the voices of frontline communities in all climate-related policies.
- Recognize faith communities as authentic partners in advancing climate resilience and justice.
Climate justice is deeply human. It concerns mothers protecting children from polluted water, elders safeguarding sacred lands, youth advocating for a livable future, and communities refusing division. Africa’s trajectory—and the planet’s—depends on prioritizing people over profits, acting with moral integrity, and ensuring communities thrive.
The time to act is now. Faith, courage, and unity are essential to securing a just and sustainable future for all.