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It seems that churches in Zambia are becoming more pragmatic in their approach by advocating for better policies and training of vulnerable communities on climate change adaptation mechanisms.
Zambia is no stranger to the debate about whether churches should be involved in championing social rights considering their considerable influence on the country's socio-political and even, economic agenda.
Grey Ngaba, a local environmental activist of Choma district in southern Zambia says that "churches have not been as active in championing climate justice, as they have been, on the political front."
Ngaba's remarks seem to summarise a perception among some Zambians that the churches' involvement on climate change education has been lukewarm, save for relief provision to victims of climate induced disasters such as floods.
"We are not only advocating for better policies but also training communities on the best ways to cope with the negative effects of climate change that are already taking a toll on various communities," Reverend Suzanne Matale, general secretary of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), an denominational umbrella organisation of Christian churches, told IPS.
"As churches, we are concerned with the direction in which the world is moving especially on the continued denial by world leaders even when evidence suggesting otherwise is abound," Matale said.
Matale explained that while some churches are still emphasising prayer, CCZ believes in prayer and action as dictated by its core values on ‘social theology'-environmental stewardship and speaking for the voiceless in society.
"We have over the years been involved in environmental justice especially in the extractive industry [tracking mining activities and benefits to ordinary citizens] — through our socio-economic programme but in the last decade or so, climate change has become a significant component of our work," said Matale.
However, the Christian churches' active involvement in climate justice is not without skepticism considering the biblical ‘end times' prophecy which highlights natural calamities as signs of the second coming of Jesus Christ and some churches are still portraying climate change as the fulfilment of this prophecy.
"Last year, when we had a prolonged drought, some churches organised a prayer meeting but some of us had been trained that the changes we were experiencing had more to do with climate change," Joe Hamwata, a conservation farmer Pemba district, southern Zambia, told IPS.
Reverend Weston Simwinga of the United Church in Zambia (UCZ) of Maamba town is optimistic that the situation will change through relentless education as impacts of climate change are already visible.
"As an affiliate of CCZ, we have been sensitised on our role not only to close the knowledge gap especially within the church, but also act as a watchdog on behalf of the people," Simwinga told IPS.
The Zambia Climate Change Network (ZCCN), a coalition of civil society organisations championing climate justice, is nevertheless cautious on the churches' active involvement in climate change discourse.
ZCCN board member, Robert Chimambo's advice to churches is to "invest substantially in understanding climate change to effectively fight the climate moral struggle considering its complex nature".
The question that remains begging is whether the church's climate justice campaign is bearing fruit compared to its influence on the political scene where it yields considerable influence on policy makers.
Matale answered the question in the affirmative by citing the development of a uranium mining policy in Zambia which was as a result of a "CCZ research in 2009, on the dangers of uranium mining without a proper policy" compelling government to propose a policy before proceeding with its uranium mining plans.
The CCZ Secretary general further highlighted CCZ's focal point role in the African faith based organisations campaign dubbed: "We have faith – act for climate justice", where over 200, 000 signatures were collected across Africa demanding for a ‘just and legally binding climate treaty' at COP 17 in South Africa, in 2011.
"Since then, we have not looked back. We are not taking a confrontational approach but working as partners with government, using our church structures to influence change at both ends," Matale said.
She added: "We have so far trained several disaster risk reduction church committees who in turn carry out climate change adaptation activities in the community through tree planting, good forest management practices and sustainable agriculture, among others".
The church's social economic justice campaign — fairness for the world's poorest —seems to be in tandem with what climate justice movements around the world are championing for; the "polluter pays" principle, where developed countries who are historically believed to have caused climate change, are called to demonstrate leadership by providing sufficient funds for adaptation.
Professor Prem Jain, the UNESCO Chair in Renewable Energy and Environment, told IPS that the campaign is gaining momentum as "African governments share the sentiments of "polluter pays" principle demanding Africa's share of resources to cope with climate shocks".
On the tail end of all arguments are vulnerable communities bearing the blunt of climate change.
Hamwata concludes: "My maize produce last farming season dramatically reduced by over 100 percent due to prolonged drought. It is no longer a question of how we are affected, but how to cope with this change; it is an everyday reality for us farmers."
