Intergenerational Climate Justice Fellow

About the Organization:

Representing (through its member churches) an estimated 580 million people in more than 120 countries, the World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of churches with 75 years’ experience in advocacy and action for human rights, justice, peace, and care for Creation. Together with ecumenical, inter-religious and civil society partners, WCC seeks to promote common platforms and collaboration for these purposes. Through its 352 member churches WCC works at national and local levels for a more just and sustainable society.

Since the 1970s, the WCC has helped develop the concept of ‘sustainable communities’ and was one of the earliest international advocates for climate action and climate justice. Following the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992, WCC has been present and active at all UN climate change conferences. Over many decades, the WCC helped foster a movement for climate justice through its climate justice programme at grassroots, regional and global levels, as well as its ecumenical indigenous peoples network.

Since 2015 WCC has developed, in collaboration with UNICEF, the Churches' Commitments to Children. This programme is anchored in worldwide consultations with 245 experts from churches, child rights organizations, and children themselves. It addresses the question, “How can churches best use their influence to improve the lives of children”. Commitment 3 focuses on churches’ efforts for climate justice though engagement of young people and capacity-building for children and adolescents. In 2019, the WCC Child Rights Programme was awarded with the Keeling Curve Prize for its strategy to scale up churches’ support to children’s and youth engagement for climate solutions.

http://oikoumene.org/children

Fellowship Description:

1.Support capacity building on legal action for climate justice
2.Develop engaging advocacy and communication materials for social media promoting WCC's new handbook for legal action with focus on financial actors
3. Support advocacy on the importance of Climate-Responsible Banking as a Moral Imperative towards Children.
4.Support knowledge management for legal action project with focus on the role of financiers of new fossil fuel expansion
5. Support research on the mental health impact of the climate emergency on children and youth
6. Supporting other WCC projects as needed.

Fellow Qualifications:

- knowledge on the legal landscape for climate justice
- knowledge on child rights
- creativity
- strong communication skills
- experience in campaigning
- skills in posting engaging materials on social media
- experience around initiatives involving faith-based and secular actors in climate solutions

Time Commitment: 25-30 hours / week