Student Engagement in Climate Justice
Center for Climate Justice and Faith at COP27
12 November 2022, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt: Young delegates from the Lutheran World Federation (Shede Habila and Anania Ndondole on right) chant ‘What do we want? Climate justice. When do we want it? Now!’
In November 2022, several students and faculty from the PLTS Center for Climate Justice and Faith traveled to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt for the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27).
Shede Habila joined the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) youth delegation to COP27 as one of eight LWF youth delegates to attend in-person. Shede earned his Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith from the PLTS Center for Climate Justice and Faith in Spring 2022 and is leading a reforestation initiative in his community in Yola, Nigeria. As a member of the Lutheran Church of Christ of Nigeria, Shede has seen the impacts of the climate crisis firsthand and understands the urgency in solving it.
“We are here to push and advocate for the governments to put more effort in addressing the global climate crisis… The right time to act is now”. Said Shede Habila
Anania Ndondole from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania was another one of the eight in-person youth delegates with the Lutheran World Federation. Anania completed the Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith with Shede Habila in Spring 2022 and is a leader for climate justice in the ELCT.
“Young people must raise their voice for climate justice and a future on this planet,” said Anania Ndondole. “Young people must be ambassadors of change.”
Regina Banks, an MDiv student at PLTS in the Concentration in Climate Justice and Faith, also attended COP27 as a representative of the ELCA in her role as the Director of Lutheran Office of Public Policy in California. In an interview with Texas Impact, Regina shared the role reversal she experienced at COP27. In California, Regina is accustomed to advocating on behalf of low-income, marginalized communities of color who are most impacted by fossil fuels. At COP27 she was the one with more power and marginalized communities were pushing her to act to push the U.S. government to act. See her powerful interview here:
Rev. Dr. Chad Rimmer of Lutheran World Federation helped coordinate the delegation from LWF. Chad was instrumental in developing the Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith and serves as a learning guide for the program. Learn more about the Lutheran World Federation’s work at COP27 here.
