The climate emergency is an urgent challenge for all of humanity that demands immediate and collective action. A boy participating in a tree-planting activity of an indigenous community in Argentina. Photo: LAC/Andy Wedekemper
Climate Justice Forum in Latin America and the Caribbean launched a tree-planting campaign
(LWI) - In the wake of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Climate Justice Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean launched the campaign “Sowing the path to COP30” on 28 February.
The LWF’s campaign promotes planting 15,000 native trees across the region as a concrete act of hope and action in the face of the climate emergency. It invites churches, faith communities, and activists to join this movement for climate justice and the care of creation.
The largest global event for discussions and negotiations on climate change will take place in Belém, near the Amazon River in northern Brazil, from 10 to 21 November 2025.
“Sowing the path to COP30” was launched with a webinar broadcast on YouTube.
Called to be agents of change and hope
In her message, Rev. Sonia Skupch, LWF Regional Secretary of the LWF for Latin America, the Caribbean and North America, emphasized that planting trees is an action that goes beyond symbolism: “It is a reminder that, as churches and communities of faith, we are called to be agents of change and hope. On this journey toward COP30, we want to encourage every church, every community, and every person to join this effort.”
“The climate emergency is an urgent challenge for all of humanity that demands immediate and collective action,” said Elena Cedillo Vargas, LWF Program Executive for Climate Justice. “Reforestation is a powerful way to reconnect with nature while taking tangible steps to protect our common home.” Indigenous trees helped mitigate climate change and play a vital role in restoring biodiversity, improving air quality and fostering a healthier planet for future generations,” she said.
During a brief devotion, Rev. Angela Trejo Haager of the Mexican Lutheran Church (ILM) reflected on the biblical passage from Jeremiah 39.9-10, linking justice and peace with the care of creation. Her message was a call to action rooted in spirituality and faith, reminding participants that caring for the environment is a shared responsibility.
Caring for our common home
“The Salvadoran Lutheran Synod joins the ‘Sowing the path to COP30’ campaign, responding to the call to be stewards of God's creation,” said Bishop Guadalupe Cortés. “By planting native trees, we contribute to biodiversity conservation and express our faith by supporting this regional initiative. We call on the churches of the region to join us, so that together we can work to care for our environment and the right to a healthy environment.”
We call on the churches of the region to join us, so that together we can work to care for our environment and the right to a healthy environment.
Bishop Guadalupe Cortés, Salvadoran Lutheran Synod
Carine Josiele Wendland, a young member of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil (IECLB) and part of the LWF Climate Justice Forum, explained the campaign's details: “We aim to plant around 15,000 native trees in countries across Latin America, from Argentina to Mexico. “Each tree symbolizes hope, and planting it is a concrete act of caring for our common home.”
Wendland also emphasized that climate change mainly affects the most vulnerable communities, which is why this initiative seeks to mitigate climate change effects and strengthen the resilience of these populations. “Caring for creation is a task for all sons and daughters of God. As faith communities, we are taking on this mission with responsibility and commitment,” she added.
Laura Saravia of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church (ILS), who is also a member of the LAC Climate Justice Forum, added, “Today, more than ever, we must turn words into action. As young people, faith communities, and activists, we can sow life and build a future. Whether we plant one tree or a hundred, every action counts."
Saravia encouraged churches and communities to join the campaign, document their actions with photos or videos, and share them on social media using the hashtag #SembrandoElCamino. A video featuring the first tree plantings carried out as part of the campaign, accompanied by testimonies from participants, was shown to inspire action.
With the “Sowing the path to COP30” campaign, the LWF reaffirms its commitment to climate justice and the care of creation, inviting churches and initiatives in the region to join a movement that seeks to transform the world through collective action and hope.
