The World Council of Churches (WCC) has released a new resource under its Churches’ Commitments to Children program, aimed at equipping faith communities and global partners with knowledge on climate litigation.
The material focuses on legal strategies to address the climate crisis and safeguard the rights of children and future generations.
In the foreword of the publication, Hope for Children Through Climate Justice – Legal Tools to Hold Financiers Accountable, Archbishop Julio Murray, moderator of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, emphasized the moral responsibility of faith communities to act.
“The urgency of this moment demands that we engage with the law not merely as a tool but as a moral imperative to safeguard human lives and uphold justice,” said Murray. “It is our hope that these resources will empower individuals and communities to advocate for justice effectively, ensuring that future generations inherit a world that is not only livable but thriving.”
Frederique Seidel, WCC senior program lead for Children and Climate, highlighted the role of financial accountability in driving climate solutions.
“Holding financial institutions accountable proves to be one of the most powerful levers to accelerate climate solutions,” said Seidel. “Strategies offered in this resource are an answer to the pleas of the scientific community and young people to tackle root causes of harm to creation, and protect our future generation’s right to life.”
WCC engaged two legal experts to support its climate law work—Harj Narulla, a leading barrister specializing in climate litigation at Doughty Street Chambers, and Nicholas Young, a lawyer and DPhil candidate in law at the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme.
Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Joel Pett contributed to the project by designing its visual message.
The WCC invited member churches and partners to participate in online training sessions on climate litigation tools.
The first session is scheduled for 15 April at 2 p.m. CET, with additional sessions planned to accommodate various time zones.
