Climate YES Botswana on Saturday, 8 August 2026 gathered at the BOFABONETHA conference facility in Gaborone for an Introductory Workshop that formally launched climate justice conversations among the country’s church denominations. This gathering marked a vital step forward in local movement building, bringing together thirteen representatives including the Anglican Church Diocese of Botswana, the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana (ELCB), and the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa. Notably, the workshop welcomed a local district councilwoman, whose involvement offers a crucial bridge to amplify climate justice advocacy at the civic and policy levels.

The primary goals of the workshop were to introduce the core principles of faith-rooted climate justice to denominational leaders and to reactivate the Botswana hub as an active force for change. Both objectives were met with overwhelming enthusiasm. Attendees engaged deeply in dialogue and expressed a shared commitment to expanding this movement building effort far beyond Gaborone into regional communities nationwide. Participants generated an ambitious roadmap designed to embed grassroots action and high-level advocacy directly into church and community life:

• Establishing “Environmental Sundays” across congregations and securing dedicated climate slots at church conferences to ground stewardship in theology.
• Organizing local clean-up campaigns rooted in reduce-reuse-recycle principles, host market days focused on textile and recycling waste, and establish youth environmental clubs.
• Launching a national youth climate conference, interactive webinars, and targeted campaigns on platforms like TikTok and LinkedIn to mobilize young advocates.
• Delivering a formal climate presentation to the Full Council of the Goodhope District to align faith community actions with local governance.

The workshop’s success was made possible through strong collaborative partnerships, including venue support from BOFABONETHA and ongoing backing from the Anglican Church. With a newly elected leadership team, strengthened inter-denominational ties, and a clear vision for grassroots movement building and climate justice advocacy, Climate YES Botswana is poised to transform this workshop’s momentum into lasting environmental impact across the nation.