Indigenous and Ecumenical Perspectives for the Triple COPs
Hosted by World Council of Churches at the Faith Hub, Blue Zone, CBD COP17 (Yerevan, Armenia).
This side event will present the newly adopted World Council of Churches (WCC) Executive Committee Statement, Renewing Commitment to the Integrity of Creation in a Time of Accelerating Environmental Crisis, adopted on 12 June 2026. The statement responds to the interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, recognizing them as among the greatest threats to human well-being and to the integrity of God's creation.
A central focus of the event will be the statement's call for a coordinated response to the "Triple COPs"—UNCCD COP17 (Mongolia), CBD COP17 (Armenia), and UNFCCC COP30 (Belém, Brazil). The statement urges churches, governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and the international community to address biodiversity loss, desertification, and climate change as interdependent challenges through the coherent implementation of the three Rio Conventions.
The event will bring together Christian churches, Indigenous representatives, youth leaders, and environmental practitioners to explore faith-based and Indigenous perspectives for protecting biodiversity and promoting ecological justice. Particular attention will be given to the ecological and spiritual dimensions of biodiversity conservation, emphasizing the shared responsibility to safeguard the integrity of creation for present and future generations.
The discussion will focus on three key themes:
1. Understanding the nexus between biodiversity loss, land degradation, and climate change, and the need for integrated solutions.
2. Mobilizing the WCC Ecumenical Decade for Climate Justice Action (2025–2034) to strengthen faith-based engagement, advocacy, and financing for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience.
3. Highlighting Armenia's unique biodiversity and the links between peace, human rights, Indigenous wisdom, and youth leadership, demonstrating how local knowledge and faith communities can contribute to resilient and inclusive conservation strategies.
The event is intended for representatives of governments, churches, faith-based organizations, Indigenous Peoples, youth organizations, civil society, academia, and all participants interested in integrated approaches to biodiversity, climate, and land stewardship.
Speakers
• Ms. Jocabed Solano (Panama), Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Reference Group, WCC, and Executive Director, Memoria Indígena
• Youth representative, Armenian Church (TBC)
• Dr. Lesya Sabada (Canada), Professor of Religious Studies, University of Saskatchewan
• Youth representative, Ecumenical Diakonia (TBC)
• Video message: Chief Edmund Stuurman, Indigenous leader, South Africa
Moderator
Ms. Athena Peralta (Philippines), Director of the Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, World Council of Churches