Below is the text of the letter drafted by six members of ELSiA and addressed to the President of the European Commission and the Head of the European Parliament Delegation to COP29 a few days before the official opening of the climate negotiations in Baku, 11-22 November.
Brussels 8/11/2024
Dear European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen,
Dear Chair of the European Parliament delegation at COP29, MEP Lídia Pereira,
Brought together by the mission of care for creation and the belief in global justice, we write to you with a sense of urgency and hope. Inspired by the encyclical Laudato Si’, as members of the European Laudato Si’ Alliance, we recognise that the world is at a crossroads in the fight against climate change. It is crucial that we, all together, act with urgency to safeguard our common home, and in doing so, we also safeguard the lives of each one of us, for the wellbeing of people and the planet are interconnected. In the light of the ethical principles that inform our faith and foster the common good for all, we urge the European Union to assume a leading role in addressing the climate crisis with decisive and just actions.
That will be shown by taking concrete actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: achieving this goal is not only a scientific imperative but also a moral one, crucial to mitigating the adverse effects of climate change and ensuring a sustainable future for current and future generations.
Together with other secular and faith-based organisations, we call on the EU and its Member States to maintain the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 at the latest, and to make the necessary efforts to achieve it earlier if possible, in order to promote global justice and care for creation. This will be possible by accelerating the phasing out of coal, reducing dependence on natural gas and minimising the use of oil.
Moreover, we recall that Pope Francis has called for an “efficient, obligatory and easily monitored… elimination of fossil fuels”. From this perspective, we call on you to agree on a swift and socially just end to all fossil fuel subsidies. Such an action, in line with the principles of Catholic social teaching on the common good and stewardship, will underline the seriousness of our collective commitment.
It is also essential to provide urgent financial support for climate change mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage in the Global South. As underlined through Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin’s speech at COP28 last year, international support is essential to ensure that wealthy industrialised countries fairly compensate for the damage that disproportionately affects the poorest countries and contribute to the preservation of our common home.
We take these concerns to the climate summit in Azerbaijan and look to the European Union to show leadership at COP29. Together, let us answer “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” and act with the courage and conviction needed to protect our planet and ensure a just and sustainable future for all of us and for generations to come.
Yours sincerely,
