ADDIS ABABA– Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) called on local and international organizations to alleviate climate change challenges through environmental protection.
Governmental and non-governmental organizations should follow the suit of EOTC in the fight against climate change through expanding forestry and other environment protection activities, so said Abune Samuel, Archbishop of EOTC-Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (DICAC).
He made the above remark while attending a National Conference held on the role of EOTC’s experience of forest conservation and management.
“The world is now suffering from climatic change. It needs an internationally coordinated intervention to restore the nature we endowed,” he said.
Citing the holy Bible, he said that “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.”
Abune Samuel expressed that EOTC has been working on afforestation and it is now becoming the dominant center of country’s indigenous plants, he expressed.
“The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church preserves forests as heritage as important part of the Church’s physical appearance within and surrounding the Church. Various studies have shown that these tree species are indigenous that are not found elsewhere. Indigenous forests that have long been important to the environment in Ethiopia are found in the Church compound and surrounding,” he noted.
EOTC-DICAC Peace Advocacy and Ethics Department Head, Tewaney Seifeselassie on his part said that the contribution of the Church on forestry is beyond religion.
Since climate change poses threat on earthly life, the Church’s contribution can be defined as rescuing, he said.
On the occasion, development and relief agencies have appreciated EOTC’s engagement in environmental protection activities.
The Church’s forestation program partner Brotfür die Welt Regional Representative, Christoph Schneider commended the progress made by the Church and suggested other institutions to take same interventions.
BY YESUF ENDRIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 12 NOVEMBER 2023
