LCA member attends world climate conference

LCA member Sam Suke last month attended the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bonn, Germany, as a youth delegate with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

Sam, 24, was chosen to attend the UNFCCC – also known as COP23 – after representing the LCA in the LWF’s Global Young Reformers Network at the 2017 World Exhibition on Reformation in Wittenberg. He is a member at St Paul’s Box Hill, in Victoria.

A physiotherapist who works in sports medicine and with an Australian Football League team, Sam said his main role with the LWF delegation was to learn and to represent the world’s religions as part of multi-faith alliances including ACT Alliance, of which Australian Lutheran World Service is a part. LWF and the UN organising body having a joint goal to build capacity in youth.

COP23 was the 23rd Conference Of the Parties by the United Nations in a global effort to sustain the Earth and all the life it supports. The most notable COP was held in Paris in 2015, which produced the Paris Climate Agreement – a historical political milestone as the first international commitment on climate change.

With 22000 delegates including government ministers, and representatives of non-government organisations, faith-based organisations and civil society, COP23 was the biggest such gathering yet.

Sam said witnessing the 195 countries which took part united behind the common cause of building a sustainable and resilient planet and humanity was ‘deeply humbly and encouraging’.

‘Never before have 195 countries united for a common cause’, he said. ‘The ambition of every nation is set by ministers, but is driven by public sentiment. And the passion of civil society is powerful. I urge each of you to consider what you can do to cut emissions, cultivate nature and in every way sustain this shared Creation.’