'Pope Francis’s Laudato Si principles provides a transformative response to Climate Change'

A side event organized by CISDE, CAFOD, Trocaire, and Caritas Internationalis underscored Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ (powerful message on our moral responsibility to care for creation) principles and held discussions regarding the extent to which they could be useful as a transformative response to the global climate change challenge. Panelists shared their experiences from Tuvalu, the Philippines and the United Nations.

Sharing Tuvalu’s experiences as a Pacific Island State, Prime Minister - Enele Sosene Sopoaga noted that the current severe human-induced events call for urgent action to cut back on use of fossil fuels and replace them with Renewable Energy options. He appealed to everyone who cares to heed to the Pope’s warning that is summed up in the encyclical. ‘There is no time to waste – drowning of people due to cyclones and other forms of disasters should be contained by our very equal response’, he added.

Tuvalu has always had to fight with extreme weather events like storm surges and floods. But as a consequence of climate change and sea level rise, the frequency and magnitude of these weather events are intensified. Even a very minor rise in the sea level would have "severely negative effects on atolls and low islands" (IPCC 2001, p. 856) and would increasingly threaten areas with inundation. Additionally, the effects of storm surges and floods are exacerbated due to the fact that natural break-waters, like coral reefs, are decreasing because of global warming.

Prime Minister Enele Sosene Sopoaga expressed fear for inaction since the Paris Agreement came into force. ‘There is a resurgence of very weak leadership, obstructionist approaches and cannibalizing the Paris Agreement while vulnerable communities are bring submerged’, he cautioned. He therefore warned that it is not moral enough to do more dialogue when emissions are still going high, but rather act – by reducing CO2 emissions from the atmosphere, and keeping fossil fuels in the ground.

Neil Thorns (CAFOD) agreed that the Tuvalu Premier that the current ‘cannibalizing’ models of development need to change. He suggested the UNESCO’s Declaration of Ethical Principles in relation to Climate Change (2017). He particularly singled out the need to have climate action participatory at all levels through listening to all groups. In addition he called for the need for promoting equitable and just transition (that related to NDCs, Climate actions and plans.

Tetel Lauron (IBON International) noted that false solutions like bioenergy carbon capture, geoengineering with ethical and moral questions, as they tinker with natural systems, with unknown consequences. She called for a change of paradigm in support of the poor and theroi efforts to get out of poverty. ‘Pull those that are far ahead’ (in reference to Agenda 2030’s Leave No One Behind. This calls for building reconstructing structures that strengthen the powerless, redistribute resources and power based on gender, social and environmental considerations.

Jean Pascal (Advisor to the Fiji delegation and Scientist) called for increased political debates on climate actions / climate change issues in national parliaments and community meetings than it is currently. He reminded the meeting that through the Laudato Si the Pope speaks to more people across the world, not only Catholics.