COP31 | Shared Sacred Flourishing
Dr. Francis Kuria highlights community ownership, subsidiarity and interfaith collaboration as essential to building sustainable climate resilience.
At the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31), Dr. Francis Kuria, representing Religions for Peace alongside Islamic Relief and the Evangelical Church of America, called for stronger collaboration across faith communities, governments, civil society and the private sector to advance locally led climate action.
Speaking during the side event, Sacred Trust, Local Action: Bridging Faith, Climate and Community-Led Resilience, Dr. Kuria emphasised that addressing the environmental crisis requires more than international commitments. It demands practical action that recognises the leadership, knowledge and capacities of communities experiencing the impacts of climate change.
Drawing on Religions for Peace’s Shared Sacred Flourishing framework, he highlighted the interconnected well-being of people, society and the Earth, grounded in the sacred values of love, mercy and compassion. The framework provides a practical foundation for diverse faith communities to work together in addressing shared challenges and advancing the common good.
A central theme of his remarks was the principle of subsidiarity, which recognises that decisions and actions should be undertaken at the level closest to the people affected, while ensuring coordination and complementary support across national, regional and international levels.
Dr. Kuria noted that climate change affects communities differently, making local ownership essential to ensuring that interventions respond to actual needs, build community capacity and deliver lasting outcomes.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of inclusive governance, accessible climate finance and stronger partnerships between local authorities and communities. Particular emphasis was placed on recognising and promoting the leadership of women and young people in climate advocacy, ecosystem restoration and sustainable development.
He urged participants to sustain dialogue and cooperation beyond the side event, strengthening partnerships between religious actors and other stakeholders to advance environmental sustainability.
As climate challenges intensify, the call is to move beyond commitments towards shared responsibility, locally driven solutions and sustained collective action.