What is COP24?

Every year for 24 years, the nations of the world have gathered in the UN-convened “Conference of the Parties” to discuss solutions to the climate crisis. A peak in this process was achieved at COP21, which was held in Paris and saw the creation of the Paris climate agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

This year, the 24th Conference of the Parties will be held in Katowice, Poland. Nations are taking the next steps in implementing the historic agreement reached in Paris. The big questions are how ambitious they will be and what rules they will establish to govern their emissions reductions.

Take Action at Home

Support the Vatican-to-COP24 Climate Pilgrimage by:

Urging your government to act with a tweet. More information here.

Sending a prayer in solidarity with climate pilgrims. More information here.

Joining the Polish church in prayer for COP24. More information here.

Attending the “Live from COP24” webinar on Dec 12–information coming soon.

Join a Catholic event at COP24

2 and 9 December, across Poland

Prayer Chain for COP24

During the two Sundays during COP24, parishes across Poland will pray together for our common home. Prayer cards have been distributed to all 10,000 parishes in Poland through a collaboration between the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, the Episcopal Conference of Poland, Caritas Poland, and Global Catholic Climate Movement.

2 December, 17:00-21:00, św. Szczepana (St. Stephen’s) Church

Interfaith Dialogue and Prayer Service

This interfaith gathering is aimed at serving as a platform for faith communities attending the COP to share their initiatives, concerns, and hopes in the work for climate justice in the framework of the Talanoa Dialogue.

For more information or to register, please see the event webpage.

3 December, 17:00-19:00, St. Stephen’s Church

Climate Crisis – the Role of Faith Based Communities for Climate Justice

This event is coordinated by the Franciscans (JPIC OFM) to reflect on the role of the faith community to advance the cause for climate justice.

6 December, 15:00-16:30, Room – Narew

Side event: Building a Spirit of Solidarity to overcome the climate crisis

This event will take place inside the COP venue to reflect on the role of solidarity as a value to overcome the climate crisis. Co-organised by Franciscans International (FI), Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU), Quakers United Nations Office (QUNO) and Quaker Earthcare Witness.

8 December, time TBD, Panewniki Franciscan Friary

Laudato Si’ Mission: Christians for Climate

An international meeting connecting the high-level topics of the COP with the everyday issues faced by people around the world, produced in a collaboration between Caritas Poland, the Order of Friars Minor, and Global Catholic Climate Movement. The event will be accompanied by practical workshops, meeting with leading Christian environmental activists from all over the world and an evening worship sessions with best Polish worship bands. For more information, please contact Mateusz Piotrowski at [email protected]

8 December, time TBD, Silesian Uprisings Monument

Arrival of climate pilgrims

Pilgrims who have walked The Climate Pilgrimage, 1,500 kilometers from the Vatican to COP24, will arrive in Katowice. They will be accompanied by additional pilgrims from Germany and by local people who are making a public stand for climate justice

8 December, time TBD

Climate March

In collaboration with other NGOs and faith groups, this march will bring together civil society in Katowice to call for climate justice. For more info, please contact CIDSE.

9 December, 10:00-18:00, Cathedral of Christ the King & Department of Theology of the University of Silesia

MAIN CATHOLIC EVENT: International Mass & COP24 Networking event

Please join the Archbishop of Katowice, Msgr Wiktor Skworc, in a Catholic mass to celebrate and support the COP process and care for all creation. Following the mass, the Catholic COP24 contingent will walk to the Department of Theology of the University of Silesia for a day-long networking event with inspiring speakers to motivate our community to continue working for climate justice. This event is produced in a collaboration between the Archdiocese of Katowice, Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Poland, CIDSE, Global Catholic Climate Movement, and Franciscans International.

9 December, 15:30, Cathedral of Christ the King

Ecumenical prayer service

Polish leaders will gather for an ecumenical prayer service to celebrate and support the COP process and care for all creation.

10 December, 9:00-16:00, University of Silesia, Faculty of Law and Administration

Pontifical Academy of Sciences conference

A full-day agenda featuring conversations between distinguished leaders in the fields of science and faith, including:

  • Archbp. Wojciech Polak, Archbishop of Gniezno, Primate of Poland
  • Archbp. Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
  • Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
  • Hans Joachim Schellnhuber,  Director Emeritus of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
  • Prof. Mario Molina, Nobel Laureate

For more information or to register, please see the conference webpage.

12 December, time TBD, link TBD

Webinar: Live from COP24

Please join us for a webinar to discuss progress to date, the challenges ahead, and the next steps in the road after the COP.