Christian groups, including the World Council of Churches (WCC), the ACT Alliance, and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), are to speak with one voice at the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, from Nov. 9 to 20.

Noting that "creation is a sacred gift, not a commodity," the church groupings and ACT are calling on governments to deliver climate justice: cut emissions and pay the finance they once promised, according to a statement released by the world churches body.

In its Emissions Gap Report 2026, published on Oct. 21, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) warns that the world is almost certain to go above 1.5°C of warming.

To return to 1.5°C by 2100, global emissions must fall by 18 percent by 2030, 45 percent by 2035, and 69 percent by 2040, compared with 2025 levels, it noted.

"Our communities and the future of our children and life on Earth must come before corporate interests and geopolitical agendas. Our future is not for sale," said Rev. Jerry Pillay, the WCC general secretary.

"Wealthy industrialised countries, whose historical emissions have contributed most to the climate emergency and who have greater capacity to act, must take the lead and commit to an equitable, orderly and rapid phase-out of coal, oil and gas."

The WCC is a grouping of 356 churches from more than 120 countries, representing more than 580 million Christians worldwide.

Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, the ACT Alliance general secretary, noted in the same statement that for the churches, climate finance is a matter of justice, not charity.

"High-income, high-emitting countries must deliver the $300 billion a year by 2035 agreed at COP29 [in Baku, Azerbaijan from Nov. 11 to 22, 2024]," de Faria said.

"Keeping to responsibilities, mandates and commitments made to protect the climate system under the UN Climate Convention and its instruments such as the Paris Agreement is a matter of urgency, equity, and justice. This has been ruled on by the International Court of Justice."

ACT Alliance is a global alliance of more than 145 churches and related organisations from over 120 countries created to provide humanitarian aid for poor and marginalized people, according to Wikipedia.

Speaking for the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), its general secretary, Rev. Anne Burghardt, noted that care for creation flows from the core calling of the church.

"Churches in the countries most exposed to the climate crisis already carry its weight every day, and young people tell us clearly that climate justice is intergenerational justice," said Burghardt.

"At COP31, governments must keep the promises they have made and protect the most vulnerable, because whatever we do for the least of our sisters and brothers, we do for Christ."

The LWF represents over 78 million people worldwide from the Lutheran tradition.

In Antalya, the delegations of the WCC, ACT Alliance, and the LWF will follow the negotiations side by side and meet every morning and early evening for joint briefings.

On Nov. 15, delegates will pray together at the COP31 Ecumenical Service at St. Alypios' Church, a historic Eastern Orthodox church in Antalya's old town (Kaleiçi).