Religious Leaders Push UN Climate Agenda for COP28

November 7, 2023 saw the signing of “Global Faith Leaders Summit—Interfaith Statement for COP28.”(1) National Catholic Reporter (NCR) writes, “Casting this as a ‘pivotal moment of the global climate crisis,’ leaders of the world’s major religion have called on governments and the business world to use the upcoming United Nations climate summit to usher in a just and rapid transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources, and for nations to establish accountability mechanisms to hold them to their climate action pledges.”(2)

Of special interest to those with an eye to prophetic developments, the NCR article singles out the three groups mentioned in Revelation 18: (religion, governments, and business = Babylon, kings of the earth, and merchants of the earth) working in combination.

The COP28(3) meeting will continue from Nov. 30 through Dec. 12, 2023. Pope Francis has written pastoral letters affirming the climate “emergency” (Luadato Si, Luadato Deum) and is scheduled to speak at the meeting.(4)

Some groups involved are interesting. The Muslim Council of Elders, for example, might be thought to represent Muslims globally. In fact, Islam has no substantial global organizational structure, and the Muslim Council of Elders was only formed in 2014.(5) Its website currently includes a slide featuring Pope Francis.

Another prominent group involved in the creation of the statement is the Baha’i. One of their central principles is:

Today, the human race is passing through a period of turbulent adolescence, moving towards the next stage in its life—a stage of maturity characterized by the emergence of a united, global civilization. Our well-being, our peace and security are all dependent upon the firm establishment of unity.(6)

The Baha’i have combined their group called the International Environmental Forum with the United Nations to produce the actual statement hosted on a UN web platform.(7)

The Global Faith Leaders statement includes a number of interesting lines. For example,

We advocate for Human Rights in a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, a declaration adopted by the General Assembly in 2022. This recognizes the intrinsic rights of ecosystems, encompassing water, oceans, and seas, to exist, thrive, and rejuvenate.(8)

Ecosystems do not have rights, although this doesn’t mean we should destroy them.

We acknowledge Faith-Compliant Finance for Sustainable Development, harnessing resources for the well-being of all sentient beings today and in the future.(9)

“Faith-compliant finance” means using the financial influence of religious organizations in a cartel-like manner.

Urge governments, especially those endowed with greater resources, to lead in curbing emissions and supporting climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in less privileged nations.(10)

Implore governments to commit to the operationalization of new financial mechanisms that address loss and damage, especially in the most vulnerable regions, and ensure that this fund is interdisciplinary, effective, and inclusive and directly reaches the most vulnerable or the affected communities.(11)

Such lines advocate a substantial transfer of wealth from one group of nations to another.

Beseech financial institutions, IFIs, private sector, companies, and governments to adopt responsible investments and business practices aligned with climate, environmental and social standards.(12)

This language masks the use of ESG rules (Environmental, Social, Governance), in other words, party-guidelines, for who will and will not be granted financial interaction.

A vast change in human civilization is being implemented through the rise of non-democratic governance structures, unprecedented population migrations, sweeping changes in values and morality, and the application of technology to propagandize, shape opinion and censor unwanted viewpoints. And yet, many prominent religious leaders are onboard the one-world governance train. As the National Catholic Reporter wrote,

Signatories to the latest statement included representatives of the world’s major religions — Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam — as well as Bahá’is, Sikhs, Mahikaris and Mandaeans.(13)

Such trends are foretold in Scripture. We are not yet at the climax of Revelation 18 but we are close enough to those events that elements are entering focus. Let us seek for God while He may be found.(14)

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Notes

1. “Global Faith Leaders Summit—Interfaith Statement for COP28 ,” https://iefworld.org/interfaithCOP28, accessed 2023-11-28.
2. “Religions call on COP28 for climate pledge accountability, rapid shift to clean energy,” https://www.ncronline.org/earthbeat/faith/religions-call-cop28-climate-pledge-accountability-rapid-shift-clean-energy, accessed 2023-11-28.
3. COP28 is a short way to say “28th Session of Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.”
4. Some stills drawn from Vatican News: “Opening Session of the Global Faith Leaders Summit—Abu Dhabi 6 November 2023,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US7lWwnRC7Y, accessed 2023-11-28.
5. https://muslim-elders.com/en, accessed 2023-11-28.
6. https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/essential-relationships/one-human-family/living-principle-oneness, accessed 2023-11–28.
7. https://iefworld.org/interfaithCOP28, accessed 2023-11-28.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. “Religions call on COP28 for climate pledge accountability, rapid shift to clean energy,” National Catholic Reporter.
14. See Great Controversy, 588-589.