Messages & Statements on Global Issues
Public Statement, WSCF Executive Committee 2024
We, the Executive Committee of the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF), convened in Lusaka, Zambia, from December 5-11, 2024, for the WSCF Interregional Ecumenical Training Program on Climate and Economic Justice.
Our gathering aimed to witness, discuss, and confront the challenges posed by climate and economic injustice—issues that jeopardise the well-being of all creation and undermine God’s vision of justice. This meeting also served as our governance meeting, where we voiced our shared concerns, provided public testimony, and issued a prophetic call for immediate action on these pressing matters.
Over the past few days, WSCF students, staff, and governance members from five continents have discussed the urgent climate and economic injustice issues. We reflected on capitalism and neo-capitalism as the causes of this crisis and how the anthropocentric interpretation of the Scriptures contributes to the crisis. We further reflected on how these interconnected crises undermine the survival of creation, with the poorest communities—contributing the least to pollution—being the most affected. Among the most vulnerable groups are women, children, and marginalised communities, who bear the brunt of these injustices.
The climate crisis, along with economic, socio-political, and civilisational crises, is an expression of the most advanced stages of neoliberalism and neocolonialism. These interconnected global challenges cannot be viewed as separate issues but rather as integral to a systemic analysis of the global economic order, which is rooted in domination, exploitation, and the degradation of God’s creation as a whole.
Africa is one of the regions most affected by climate change and economic injustice. It has experienced severe environmental degradation, conflict, displacement, and human rights abuses, leaving thousands of families without access to necessities such as food, shelter, and healthcare. Zambia, in particular, has experienced one of the most severe droughts in decades, negatively impacting the economy; increased food prices, high poverty levels, and reduced power supply—as the country depends on hydropower—are among the significant challenges. The extractive industry, which is the major economic driver, only benefits multinational corporations, leaving the local people in poverty and the environment polluted. The gap between the rich and the poor is ever-increasing.
Internationally, the relationship between climate change and the global economic system perpetuates power imbalances, exclusion, inequality, and a lack of opportunities for many. This exploitation of people and the planet is threatening the integrity of all creation. Food security and rising prices are at the heart of the struggle for economic justice. In Africa, new conflicts have emerged as communities battle for survival. As droughts worsen, animals are forced to migrate for food and water, creating competition with humans for increasingly scarce resources. The future of youth and children is especially threatened as the crisis will result in increased forced migration, displacement, and conflicts.
We denounce transnational corporations as a driving force of capitalism's exploitative system, prioritising limitless profits over ethical values, human dignity, and ecological balance. These corporations use their power to influence governments and bypass national and regional regulations, perpetuating and treating essential resources as commodities for profit.
We call on all our movements and ecumenical partners—especially youth-led movements and institutions—to join efforts in advocating for economic and ecological justice. We emphasise that the intersection of these issues must not be treated in isolation but addressed together in both analysis and action.
We call on Churches, institutions, governments, non-governmental organisations, and civil society organisations to take concrete actions to improve resilience at the community level, with the most affected people at the forefront of climate action. We also advocate for stronger policy-making at the local, national, and international levels, engaging with governance bodies and multilateral institutions. We further call upon the large emitters of carbon to compensate the lesser emitters for the suffering they are facing—increased funding for climate crisis mitigation measures, especially in the global South.
We denounce the continued increased funding for the militarisation of nations and call for Russia and Israel to cease fire. We urge nations at war to resolve their conflicts in a peaceful manner, as conflict does not warrant the loss of any life because all life is precious and should be treated with dignity. We denounce private corporations that continue to profit without limits, disregarding ethical standards and lobbying to bypass national and regional regulations.
We stand in solidarity with the marginalised people of Zambia, Africa, and the world at large, who continue struggling with the effects of the climate crisis: the farmers whose crops are drying out because of drought and those whose crops are washed away by floods; the indigenous people who are continually displaced and forced to migrate; women and children who are at the forefront of the crises in rural areas and communities.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar, the Philippines, Syria, and Ukraine, as well as all nations suffering under the domination of internal or external forces of destruction. Many WSCF ExCo members are students from these war zones, bearing witness to the struggles faced by their communities.
We also stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza and the West Bank, who endure genocide and live under an apartheid system. Their suffering calls us to act with compassion and courage as we advocate for justice and peace.
We believe in the power of transformation through the social and ecumenical engagement of student movements. As a federation, we stand in solidarity, pray, and act together for the well-being of God’s creation. WSCF’s mission to pursue justice and peace will not falter in the face of destructive powers. Instead, we will uphold God’s Reign of Justice. Youth have a critical voice and can contribute to the fight for climate and economic justice, and their voices should be heard.
We believe that another world is possible.
WORLD STUDENT CHRISTIAN FEDERATION
Lusaka, Zambia, December 2024