UN Climate Change Conference 2021

October 31 – November 12, 2021 | Ecumenical | one week or both

For the Love of Creation and the The United Church of Canada are seeking delegates for their United Nations Climate Change COP 26 Ecumenical Delegation. Participation will be virtual.

COP26 is the latest Conference of the Parties (COP), the group of nations that forged the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992, which commits them to act together to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human induced) interference with the climate system.”

The four COP26 goals set by the host countries UK and Italy are: a step change in commitments to emissions reduction; strengthening adaptation to climate change impacts; getting finance flowing for climate action; and, enhancing international collaboration, including for the COP26 campaigns on energy transition, clean road transport and nature. You can read more in COP26 Explained.

For the Love of Creation (FLC) is a national climate justice initiative of 30+ Canadian faith-based communities and organizations launched on Earth Day 2020. (See the full list of endorsing organizations). FLC’s three key advocacy asks focus reducing emissions and investing in a just transition; implementation of UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and supporting adaptation and mitigation measures in the Global South.

The ecumenical delegation will attend as observers under the accreditation of The United Church of Canada.

Goals of the delegation (these goals are aspirational, as it is not yet clear how virtual participation will unfold)

• to represent and communicate For the Love of Creation’s (and for UCC delegates, The United Church’s) conviction that the global climate emergency is a moral and spiritual issue that requires urgent and decisive action to representatives of Canadian government, media and to the public, with other civil society actors, global, ecumenical and interfaith partners;
• to represent For the Love of Creation’s commitment to the principles, standards and norms of the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples as essential to climate-related decision-making;
• to learn about, amplify, advocate for the three For the Love of Creation advocacy calls;
• to stand and act in solidarity with those most affected by climate change, particularly partners in the global South and Indigenous peoples;
• to engage and encourage the heart, minds and bodies of people of the churches in the work of climate justice by communicating stories of COP 26;
• to provide a forum for Indigenous climate leadership at the international level
  to share Indigenous wisdom and knowledge;
• to inform use of United Church accreditation at future COPs.

While participation will be virtual, the delegate participation will mimic as much as possible a full immersive focus. Participants will be expected to view this as their primary commitment (approx. 5-8 hours per day).

Delegates should be prepared to:

• Participate in delegate pre-orientation sessions (October).
• Represent United Church (UCC delegates) and FLC (all delegates) policy at COP sessions with partners, in civil society fora, with government officials and media.
• Communicate with constituents via social media and other means regarding experience at COP to encourage people to engage in climate justice.
• Report experience to Climate Advisory Circle (UCC delegates).
• Follow “The Code of Conduct for Volunteers Representing the United Church of Canada.”
• Liaise with For the Love of Creation lead of your national organization/church
• Participate and provide leadership to the UCC (UCC delegates) and For the Love of Creation effort (all) afterwards (details to be developed).

More specific responsibilities will be developed as it becomes clearer what virtual participation is possible.

Timing
The live program will take place over two weeks in Glasgow, Scotland–which is +5 hours ahead of ET–October 31-November 12, 2021.

The exact times for schedule are not confirmed yet.

9:00 am (Glasgow) | 05:30 NT | 05:00 AT | 04:00 ET | 03:00 CT | 02:00 MT | 01:00 PT
Noon (Glasgow) | 08:30 NT | 08:00 AT | 07:00 ET | 06:00 CT | 05:00 MT | 04:00 PT
16:00 (Glasgow) | 12:30 NT | 12:00 AT | 11:00 ET | 10:00 CT | 09:00 MT | 08:00 PT

Delegate Profile

• Knowledge and experience in climate advocacy, national and global experience is valuable.
• Experience participating in the For the Love of Creation effort.
• Communication skills, e.g. ability to share experience during COP on social media, blog about experience, write short articles and speak in public.
• Knowledge of and readiness to learn more about the United Church (UCC delegates) FLC (all delegates) climate policies and the faith values that motivate the church in the struggle for climate justice.
• Ability to relate the For the Love of Creation advocacy concerns to and engage members of Canada’s political delegation.
• Ability to navigate and insert themselves in complex global gathering virtually.
• Flexible, team-oriented, creative, hard-working
• Ability to connect to virtual platform and participate fully for duration of one week or both.
• Ability to communicate in French (an asset)

Delegate section will be informed by our intention to form a group that: (not mutually exclusive)

• Includes an Indigenous person with perspectives on land, ecology and climate change.
• Includes a member with understanding of Global South perspectives on climate change.
• Includes a member of the UCC Climate Advisory Circle.
• Includes a member who is particularly strong in communications.
• Includes a youth or young adult.
• Includes members from at least three For The Love of Creation endorsing organizations.

Leadership
The COP26 delegation is being coordinated by Karri Munn-Venn, CPJ’s Senior Policy Analyst and For the Love of Creation Coordinating Committee member and Advocacy Chair, as well as Lori Neale, Network Coordinator at The United Church of Canada.

To Apply
Apply using online application form by September 13, 2021.

Due to length of questions, likely easiest to complete from a computer. Please note that it is possible to save an application and resume later by clicking on link at the end of the form.

Note: The format of the COP26 and the type of access that will be afforded to this virtual delegation has not yet been confirmed by the organizers. Regardless, the work of the delegation will be to participate, learn and advocate as best as they are able in the COP space, and to communicate during COP and afterwards to For the Love of Creation constituencies and beyond, to bring attention and grow support for climate justice.

If you have questions, please email pip@united-church.ca or flc.pac@gmail.com.