Vatican cardinal speaks at climate conference, calls for ‘transformational’ agreement

December 10, 2015

Speaking on behalf of the Holy See at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Paris, Cardinal Peter Turkson called for a “fair, legally binding, and truly transformational agreement.”

The president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace was one of 43 government ministers and heads of delegations who spoke at the conference’s high-level segment on December 8.

“COP 21 must be ambitious,” the prelate said during his talk. “Experts tell us that the world’s clean energy investment should be about $2 trillion a year between now and 2030. This enormous figure amounts to less than 2% of world GDP, and is roughly the same as annual military spending worldwide. Thus, clearly, the issue is not so much ‘Can the economy afford it?’ as ‘What are our priorities?’”

Calling for solidarity and dialogue, the prelate said that

when the environment is assaulted, the poor, least able to defend themselves, suffer most. We cannot remain blind to the grave damage done to the planet, nor can we remain indifferent to the plight of the millions of people who most bear the burden of such destruction. While no one has the right to condemn people to hopelessness and misery, this all too frequently occurs through destructive actions or culpable indifference. And while no one has the right to deprive future generations of the chance to live on our planet, this, unfortunately, is a horrible and ever more likely possibility.

 

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Further information:

• Cardinal Turkson: We cannot remain blind to planetary damage (Vatican Radio)
• Leaders Event and High Level Segment (UNFCC)
• List of speakers for the High-Level Segment (UNFCC)
• Cardinal Turkson: Pope may intervene if Paris climate-changes talks stall (CWN, 12/9)