CSI church to lead the charge for climate action

Prayer meets purpose in the Madhya Kerala Diocese of the Church of South India, where congregations are now being armed with tools to tackle climate change head-on.

The Church of South India (CSI) Madhya Kerala Diocese is turning faith into action with a new toolkit for its parishes, which will offer practical guidance on everything from cutting waste and conserving water to harnessing sustainable energy.

The initiative will officially kick off on January 29 with the launch of the Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action.

Bishop Malayil Sabu Koshy Cherian will inaugurate 12 newly formed Climate Action Groups and unveil a 12-month Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan. The programme intends to show how faith communities can move from reflection to tangible, local action against the climate crisis.

According to Mathew Koshy Punnackadu, Commissioner for Climate Justice and Sustainable Development at the WCC, each Climate Action Group will unite 25–30 parishes, led collaboratively by a parish representative and the local vicar or church worker. These groups will guide a structured programme to tackle pressing climate and biodiversity issues at the grassroots level.

“The potential of churches to inspire action in their communities is enormous,” Mr. Punnackadu notes. Strategies include mapping local ecological concerns, cutting electricity consumption, hosting plastic-free church events, boosting water conservation, improving waste management, and reducing carbon footprints among church members.

“A cornerstone of this programme is its biblical foundation. Each month will focus on a Bible passage interpreted through the lens of biodiversity and climate justice, paired with concrete action plans that move congregations from reflection to ecological responsibility and public action,” he adds

The diocese has already launched a project to transform all 405 parishes into green hubs within three years, guided by a green protocol.

The project takes a cue from a declaration by the WCC of Climate and Biodiversity as the thematic focus for 2026.