Anglican and Catholic delegations attending COP30 in Brazil met to explore theological responses to climate change, new pathways for collaboration, education, and advocacy in the face of a global crisis.
Held at Belem’s COP30 venue inside the Blue Zone, the meeting marked a pivotal moment in ecumenical climate diplomacy. The two delegations discussed the need to align their respective strategies with the UN process, shared values and finding areas for collaboration.
Among the delegations were high ranking staff of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See representing the Catholic Church including Monsignor Gabriele Pesce, Paolo Conversi from Italy, and Advogado Melillo Dinis do Nascimento, from Brazil.
The Anglican delegation included Archbishop Marinez Bassotto of Brazil, Archbishop Don Tamihere of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia, Bishop Maurício Jose Araujo De Andrade of the Diocese of Brasilia, Martha Jarvis from the Anglican Communion Office, Bardia Matiu from Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa, and Vicar General Fei Tevi who serves as Climate Commissioner for the Diocese of Polynesia.
The consensus of the meeting was that education was key in addressing the global climate crisis, albeit with both sides viewing it from different angles.
The Holy See advocates for climate education to be introduced into formal curricula at school and tertiary education level to create ecological conversions, while the Anglican delegation presented indigenous knowledge as a fundamental form of education that demonstrates the connection of people to the environment that is sustainable.
Despite differing perspectives, the commonality between the two groups was that knowledge must lead to action and education is the bridge that connects the two.
It was also highlighted in the meeting that there is a global inequity in climate finance, with 85% of the worlds forest protection action being undertaken by indigenous and traditional peoples of the land, yet only 15% of the financial aid raised globally directly reaches those communities. The bi-lateral meeting agreed reform on the financial models is urgently needed to assist the groups standing on the frontlines of conservation.
The meeting reaffirmed a sentiment of the late Pope Francis that by working together and leveraging their combined global influence for acts of unity and kindness global Catholic and Anglican families can advocate stronger for the most vulnerable and care for God’s great creation.
The timing of the meeting has been reinforced with a message by Pope Leo XIV for COP30, in which he calls for stronger willpower by the global leaders to commit to the Paris Agreement.
True leadership means service, and support at a scale that will truly make a difference,” Pope Leo XIV said, urging nations to recommit to the Paris Agreement.
“We are guardians of creation, not rivals for its spoils,” he added, calling for global solidarity.
Watch his full message here https://youtu.be/3LVfUxzT7Mw