Climate activism. Photo AI
Ahead of the 2nd Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa which is already underway, African faith leaders united in issuing the Addis Ababa Faith Declaration on Climate Justice, a powerful call for urgent, fair, and inclusive climate action rooted in justice, equity, peace, and care for creation.
The declaration, released at a pre-summit workshop convened by ACT Alliance, Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC), Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia, All Africa Conference of Churches, and the Consortium of Climate Change Ethiopia, represents the culmination of months of interfaith consultations and collective discernment across the continent.
“Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it directly threatens lives, livelihoods, and communities across Africa. We call on political leaders at the Africa Climate Summit 2 to prioritise concrete actions: deliver adaptation and loss-and-damage finance, close the adaptation gap, support indigenous and community-led solutions, expand renewable energy access, and create inclusive, resilient systems that protect the most vulnerable.”
Dr Tinashe Gumbo, Programme Executive, Economic and Ecological Justice, All Africa Conference of Churches.
Africa remains climate-vulnerable, facing escalating droughts, floods, food insecurity, and displacement despite contributing the least to global emissions.
Faith leaders, representing Christian, Muslim, Ethiopian Orthodox Church and traditional communities, have committed to stand together as moral voices for justice and dignity, urging governments, multilateral institutions, and the private sector to act with urgency and fairness.
“From our sacred Church Forests to the traditional practices that sustain food and life across Africa, we affirm that protecting creation is both a spiritual duty and a path to resilience. We call on leaders to safeguard these God-given systems, so that women, youth, and communities can nurture harmony that sustains life in all its fullness.” affirmed Abune Bernas, Archbishop of the ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH.
Key calls from the Addis Ababa Faith Declaration:
1.Peace for Climate Justice: Integrating peacebuilding, equity, and inclusive governance into adaptation, recognising that peace and climate justice are inseparable foundations for resilience.
2. Debt Cancellation as a Path to Climate Justice: Freeing African economies from unjust debt burdens that drain resources urgently needed for climate action.
3.Climate Finance: Delivering overdue, grant-based finance for adaptation, loss and damage, and community-led solutions.
4. Emission Reduction & Just Energy Transition:
Major emitters must commit to ambitious emission cuts, while Africa advances a just and inclusive energy transition that creates jobs, protects workers, and expands clean energy access.
5. Food Sovereignty & Creation Care:
Protecting and scaling up indigenous and faith-rooted practices that sustain food systems, biodiversity, and resilience.
6. Tackling the Adaptation Gap:
Closing Africa’s adaptation finance gap through grant-based funding, robust indicators, and climate risk integration in national and local planning.
7. Advancing Loss & Damage Efforts:
Unlocking finance and institutional support for African countries to access the Loss and Damage Fund equitably.
8. Youth, Women, People with Disabilities & Interfaith Solidarity:
Ensuring that marginalised groups are at the centre of climate solutions, leadership, and decision-making.
“Faith institutions and traditions offer hope in a complex world. Their contribution to society is unequivocal and so is their role in addressing climate change and pursuing climate justice. The Africa Climate Summit 2 Faith Declaration sets us into a new era where African faith institutions commit to advancing and leading the pursuit of fair, equitable, and just climate action.”
Julius Mbatia, Climate Justice Programme Manager, ACT Alliance.
The statement is available on the ACT Alliance website and serves as a resource for policymakers, development partners committed to scaling climate justice in Africa.
