FFOP Global Summit 2025

European Parliament

FFOP Global Summit 2025

European Parliament

Grassroots to Global

Shaping a New Global North-South Climate Partnership

European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium

6th February, 2025

FFOP (Faith For Our Planet) will deliver its annual Global Summit in the European Parliament

With a view to encouraging meaningful dialogue and collaboration between Global North and South actors, situating policymakers and faith, women and youth community leaders as natural, equitable partners and collaborators in the global climate movement.

Uniting for Climate Action: The Urgency of Our Times

As the world confronts climate change—the greatest existential threat to our planet—the need for united action has never been more urgent. Financial resources, advanced technology, and political infrastructure exist, but the missing pieces are global willpower, moral leadership, and shared values.

The Faith For Our Planet Global Summit aims to build values-based partnerships capable of bridging divides between the Global North and South. By cultivating trust and motivating action that resonates across cultures and nations, the Summit underscores the necessity for justice to precede action.

A Vision for Inclusive Climate Action

By placing faith leaders and civil society actors at the forefront, FFOP’s Summit aims to amplify voices often marginalised in global discussions.

This includes communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis—the Global South, faith communities, women, and youth—to ensure climate action is inclusive of all viewpoints.

The Summit will convene 150 influential figures, including:

Climate experts
Revered faith leaders
Notable activists
Key EU policymakers.

FFOP’s Global Summit addresses a critical gap in climate policy by establishing coalitions that drive systemic change.

Together, we are setting the stage for a sustainable future that draws on the strengths of every community.

Building an inclusive global coalition

The European Union (EU) has been actively involved in addressing climate change for many years and has developed numerous initiatives, programmes, and strategies that prioritize community engagement, including those involving partners from the Global South.

The Parliament is a key partner in the Summit’s dialogue between policymakers and faith leaders. Reconciliation of the EU’s focus on renewable energy and investment with the Global South’s emphasis on climate justice and inclusive solutions, requires partnerships rooted in shared values and a vision for a just future.

Summit Goals

Filling Knowledge Gaps: Enriching Policymaker Understanding

Enhancing understanding of cultural agents, faith-based, and faith-inspired groups allowing the policymakers to refine climate outreach approaches for just, inclusive, and effective implementation effectiveness. While advocating for ease of action for grassroots communities; providing the financial capabilities and support needed to amplify and scale local initiatives.

Leveraging Resources for Climate Action

Faith organizations control substantial land, forests, and institutions capable of supporting important climate policy goals. Religious philanthropy and climate financing, presenting policymakers with new faith-based funding options for climate initiatives.

Grassroots Mobilization: Driving Climate Initiatives at the Local Level

Leverage the unique traditional wisdom of nature, and local knowledge of resource managment, stewardship, and contextualized mitigation and adaptation needs of trusted community leaders from the Global South, including faith, women, and youth, to drive local action and speed up the adoption of climate strategies at the community level.

Summit Participants

We are delighted to have three distinguished people as the honorary chair and two main hosts.

We will also be joined by representatives from the African Union, the United Nations, and representatives from international governments, environmental and faith institutions and NGOs.

Ms. Ndileka Mandela

Honorary Chair of the Summit

Founder of The Thembekile Mandela Foundation and granddaughter of Nelson Mandela

H.E. Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa

Host

Secretary General, Muslim World League

Kathleen Van Brempt

Host

Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Vice-Chair for Trade, Development and Global Sustainability, Socialist and Democratic Party

Summit Program

The summit’s thematic focus and learning objectives include:

Youth Engagement

Sharing powerful narratives from FFOP Fellowship Alumni, particularly from the Global South, on how faith has inspired hope and strengthened the cooperation and community necessary for effective environmental action.

Learning Outcomes: Delegates will gain actionable insights into leveraging youth narratives for effective climate policymaking, particularly from climate-impacted regions.

The Role of Women

Assess the implications of underrepresentation of women in climate policies, while exploring how policymakers can engage women and their vast capabilities to scale climate initiatives.

Learning Outcomes: Understanding the vital role of women in climate leadership and strategies to integrate their perspectives into global climate policies.

Building Values-Based Climate Coalitions Between Global North and South

Exploring the importance of inclusive, values-driven partnerships to address the climate crisis and bridge the gaps between the Global North and South through shared values of equity, justice, and trust.

Learning Outcomes: Gaining insights into how shared values can drive the creation of inclusive, just climate coalitions between the Global North and South, and understanding the role of faith and cultural values in bridging gaps in climate finance and decision-making.

Strategies for Africa-Europe Climate Collaboration

Develop frameworks for faith-driven collaborative strategies between Africa and Europe for effective climate action and sustainability.

Learning Outcomes: Delegates will gain actionable insights into leveraging youth narratives for effective climate policymaking, particularly from climate-impacted regions.