Vatican News
As the world gears up for the 30th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP30, leaders and representatives from around the world are headed to Brazil—home to the world’s largest rainforest.
In light of this event, the bishop chairmen who lead committees of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) who address climate policy came together with the president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to call for “urgent, courageous action to protect God’s creation and people.”
Time to restore and renew
The statement was drafted by Archbishop Borys Gudziak, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace; and Mr Sean Callahan, president and CEO of CRS.
As COP30 is being held in the context of the Jubilee Year of Hope, the statement reflected on Pope Leo’s call for its participants to “listen to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor, families, indigenous peoples, involuntary migrants and believers throughout the world.”
The bishops and CEO stressed that the Holy Year is a “sacred opportunity to restore relationships and renew creation at a time when the gift of life is under grave threat.” Communities are being devastated by the loss of biodiversity, environmental degradation, and climate change.
The statement warned that “failing to steward God’s creation, ignores our responsibility as one human family.” It highlights the threats farming and fishing families face each day, the destruction of Indigenous Peoples’ land, and the risk to children’s future globally.
Intergenerational solidarity is not optional
In Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato si’, the Argentine pontiff highlighted how the climate is a common good—that belongs to all and meant for all. Intergenerational solidarity, the papal document explained, is not optional. Therefore, Bishop Gudziak, Bishop Zaidan, and Mr Callahan called to world leaders to take action immediately and bravely for a strong implementation of the Paris Agreement.
“As all of us are impacted, so must we all be responsible for addressing this global challenge”, they argued.
COP30 should encourage all countries, civil society organizations and cooperations to recommit to implementation that invests in adaptation efforts, commits to bold emission reductions, guarantees loss and damage funding with direct access for vulnerable communities, ensure a just worker- and community-centered transition to sustainability, and provides timely, transparent climate finance and debt relief that upholds human dignity.
All together,these actions, the statement underscored, “can work towards integral ecology and ‘priority to the poor and marginalized in the process.’”
Bishop Gudziak, Bishop Zaidan, and Mr Callahan closed their message offering their prayers for support and solidarity, while also pledging to collaborate to protect the future of our common home. – Vatican News
