“Walk on Earth Gently”

LWF joins multi-faith invitation to promote sustainable lifestyles

(LWI) - “As religious and spiritual leaders, we are committing to make changes in our own lives, and to support the members of our communities in doing the same. Together, we come to you with an invitation to embark on a journey towards compassionate simplicity for the sake of the climate, the human family, and the community of life,” says the COP23 Interfaith Climate Statement “Walk on Earth Gently” which was presented to the conference in Bonn, Germany, on 10 November. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is one of many faith-based organizations behind the statement.

“For many of us, changes in three areas make the greatest impact: dramatically reducing emissions from our home energy use, adopting a plant-based diet and reducing food waste, and minimizing automobile and air travel,” the statement continues. Symbolizing this, the statement was delivered by many of its signatories, including the LWF delegation to COP23, by bicycle. The LWF delegation to COP23 and LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Martin Junge are among the signatories of the statement.

“I think this is a great moment at COP23, to resonate this message to the delegations and to the governments that are negotiating at this important meeting,” said Daniel Sinaga, a delegate from the Batak Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia. “We have to start with ourselves,” added Kathrin Natho, a delegate from the Evangelical Church in Central Germany. “A lot of people in my church are interested in sustainable lifestyles and I think we can get some spirit to our home communities,” she added. Sinaga and Natho are members of the LWF delegation to COP23 which consists of eleven young adults from European and Asia/Pacific member churches of the LWF.

The statement was launched by the Multi-Faith Sustainable Living Initiative sponsored by Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, The Bhumi Project, CIDSE, Franciscan Action Network, the Global Catholic Climate Movement, the Global Muslim Climate Network, GreenFaith, Hazon, One Earth Sangha, Friends World Committee for Consultation, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, the World Evangelical Alliance, and the World Council of Churches. The LWF joins this campaign as well as Islamic Relief Worldwide, one of its partners on humanitarian work and advocacy.