1

1

A WCC OP Presentation 

Pacific Communities and Climate 

Change Forum

19-20 November 2007.

Pacific Churches and 

Climate Change 

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Why do we care?

• Integrity of God’s creation

– Context of the Pacific region 

• Stewardship of God’s creation

– Responsible ownership 

– Sustainability 

• Importance of the church in Pacific societies

– Presence

– Impact

– Potential

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3

Footsteps in the sand……..

• 1997:  7

th

Pacific Conference of Churches 

Assembly in Tahiti:  statement on climate 
change

• 2002:  8

th

Assembly in Cook Islands:  

focus on climate change at church level

• 2004:  Otin Taai Declaration:  WCC 

statement 

– Establishing a platform for churches 

involvement

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2007:  9

th

PCC General Assembly, Pago

Pago

• Prophetic advocacy

– Resettlement of Pacific peoples

– Effective partnerships between sending and 

receiving communities

• Cooperation on mitigation and adaptation 

programmes at regional level

• Promotion of greener churches

• Pacific churches assistance in disasters

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5

Preventing…..

• Disaster risk reduction cooperation between 

conservation, churches and donor partners:

– Pacific churches network

– Presence and importance of the church in Pacific 

communities

– Church leaders – Community leaders

• No Risk …….Know Risk:  Be Better Prepared 

to Care

– Strengthening capacities of churches to support 

communities in disaster risk reduction

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Preventing…..

• ACT International 

– International network

– Church based and church related disaster and 

humanitarian aid network

– Cyclone IVY, Heta

– Tidal wave disaster in the Solomon Islands

• www.act-intl.org