A coalition of 81 Christian organizations has demanded that European Union leaders commit to a binding fossil fuel phaseout before November’s COP31 summit in Turkey. The groups warn that record-breaking European heatwaves and wildfires signal a crisis that demands immediate, legally enforceable action.
The appeal, signed by Caritas Europa, Pax Christi International, and the European Christian Environmental Network, arrived as EU officials prepare for the UN climate conference opening in Antalya on November 9. It represents one of the largest coordinated faith-based climate interventions targeting European policymakers this year.
The organizations pressed for specific deadlines: coal elimination by 2030, gas by 2035, and oil by 2040. They also called for ending all fossil fuel subsidies and halting permits for new extraction projects.
Meanwhile, the signatories insisted that clean energy transitions must protect poorer communities and indigenous populations from economic harm. They welcomed the EU’s existing commitment to a 2040 climate target but argued that pledges without enforcement mechanisms fall short.
“This summer, Europe has experienced the climate crisis more ferociously than ever before,” the letter stated, describing current conditions as a preview of hardships long endured across the global south.
Food security emerged as a central concern. The groups noted that climate-related disasters now threaten nutrition for nearly half the world’s population, yet food systems receive under 3 percent of international climate finance.
The charities highlighted devastating floods and landslides in Nepal alongside European disasters as evidence of accelerating human costs. They urged European leaders to resist weakening environmental commitments amid competing global pressures.
“The decisions you take at COP31 will reflect the authenticity of your commitment,” the letter concluded, addressing the EU’s most vulnerable constituencies, young people, and future generations.
The initiative follows a July appeal from 170 Christian aid organizations demanding stronger European climate action. COP31 will gather world leaders, scientists, business representatives, and campaigners to negotiate international warming responses.
