SECAM calls for justice-driven climate action at Africa Climate Summit

KAMPALA, September 9, 2025 – At the Second Africa Climate Summit, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar [SECAM] issued a powerful call for global climate action grounded in justice, solidarity, and African leadership. Declaring the climate crisis a “moral and ecological emergency,” the Catholic Church in Africa emphasised that while the continent contributes the least to global emissions, it suffers some of the worst impacts.

From prolonged droughts and deadly cyclones to floods and desertification, African communities are already enduring the devastating effects of climate change. SECAM urged governments, institutions, and faith leaders to ensure that climate solutions are not only sustainable but also led by Africans and rooted in local communities.

Africa must shape its own ecological future

“Africa must not merely be a recipient of external agendas,” SECAM’s statement insisted. “Rural communities, rich in indigenous wisdom, are laboratories of integral ecology.” The Church emphasised the need for development models that prioritise community resilience, social equity, and environmental integrity.

Rejecting false solutions, embracing real change

In a critique of current international climate efforts, SECAM denounced “false solutions” such as harmful carbon offset schemes and extractive development projects. Instead, the bishops called for bold, authentic climate action that integrates appropriate technologies, respects cultural heritage, and places human dignity and care for creation at the center.

“We are still not facing the issues squarely,” the statement warned. “The commitments made are weak and hardly fulfilled. What is needed is courage and determination to move away decisively from fossil fuels.”

Scaling up renewable energy

A key pillar of SECAM’s message was the urgent need to invest in decentralised, community-driven renewable energy systems, especially solar power. The Church highlighted the role of clean energy in reducing poverty, creating jobs, and empowering women and youth.

“The future is this renewable energy, namely solar,” the bishops affirmed, urging leaders to upgrade infrastructure and tackle Africa’s persistent energy poverty.

Climate finance: A matter of justice

SECAM called on wealthy nations to meet their moral obligations by providing transparent, accessible, and non-indebting climate finance. The statement emphasised the need to operationalise Loss and Damage and Adaptation Funds that reach vulnerable communities directly, without creating new forms of dependency.

“This is a matter of justice and solidarity with the poorest and most affected communities,” SECAM stated. “Delay and half-measures only deepen the suffering of our people and jeopardise future generations.”

A spiritual mandate for climate action

Framing the crisis as both a scientific and spiritual issue, SECAM reminded the global community that “climate action is a spiritual imperative.” The bishops echoed the teachings of Laudato Si’ and Laudate Deum, affirming that “the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor.”

SECAM’s commitments

In response to the climate crisis, SECAM pledged to: Promote ecological conversion in every parish, school, and diocese; advocate at COP30 and beyond for a just phase-out of fossil fuels; establish an Ecclesial Observatory on Climate Justice to monitor implementation of climate pledges; partner with ethical stakeholders to help build a resilient, green Africa.

A continental call to action

As global leaders prepare for upcoming climate negotiations, SECAM urged Africa to rise as a “moral voice and agent of its own transformation.”

“Justice, solidarity, and care for creation demand nothing less.”

https://thecooperator.news/africa-message-of-the-20th-plenary-assembly-of-secam/

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