Pope Francis: respect the planet and the poor, reduce emissions and cancel debt

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01 September 2020Today in the Vatican is the world day of prayer for the care of creation. In his message for the occasion, Pope Francis touched on various issues concerning the health of our planet and our Spirit in light of the inexorable arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic that the pontiff indicates as an opportunity to improve the human condition.

"Today the voice of creation urges us, alarmed, to return to the right place in the natural order, to remember that we are part, not masters, of the interconnected web of life. The disintegration of biodiversity, the soaring increase in climate disasters, the unequal The impact of the pandemic in progress on the poorest and most fragile are alarm bells in the face of the unbridled greed of consumption ", said Pope Francis in his message dedicated to this day.

"We know that the cry of the Earth and of the poor has become even louder in recent years. At the same time, we are witnessing how the Holy Spirit is inspiring individuals and communities everywhere to come together to rebuild the common home and defend the most vulnerable. ". And he underlines the "gradual emergence of a great mobilization of people, who from below and from the peripheries are generously working for the protection of the earth and the poor". 

For the Pontiff "it is joyful to see so many young people and communities, especially indigenous people, at the forefront of responding to the ecological crisis. They are calling for a Jubilee of the Earth and for a new beginning, in the awareness that things can change "." It is also to be rejoiced to note - continues Francis - how the special anniversary year of Laudato si 'is inspiring numerous initiatives at local and global level for the care of the common home and the poor.

Francis added that "today we need to find equitable and sustainable styles of life, which give the Earth the rest it deserves, sufficient livelihoods for all, without destroying the ecosystems that maintain us".

" pandemic "has somehow led us to rediscover simpler and more sustainable lifestyles. The crisis, in a certain sense, has given us the opportunity to develop new ways of living. It is possible to see how the Earth - continued the Pope - can recover if we allow it to rest: the air has become cleaner, the waters more transparent, animal species have returned to many places from which they had disappeared ". "In his wisdom, God reserved the Sabbath day for the earth and its inhabitants to rest and refresh themselves. Today, however, our lifestyles push the planet beyond its limits."

"The continuing demand for growth and the relentless cycle of production and consumption are exhausting the environment. Forests are dissolving, soil is eroded, fields disappear, deserts advance, seas turn acid and storms intensify: creation groans! ", underlined 

Referring to Cop26 the important future climate summit in Glasgow, United Kingdom, Bergoglio called on" each country to adopt more national targets. ambitious to reduce emissions ". "We must do everything possible to limit the growth of the global average temperature below the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius, as enshrined in the Paris climate agreement: going further will prove catastrophic, especially for the poorest communities around the world. ". "In this critical moment - he adds - it is necessary to promote intra-generational and inter-generational solidarity". 

And he launches an appeal in favor of the poor all over the world "I renew my appeal to cancel the debt of the most fragile countries in the light of the serious impacts of the health, social and economic crises they face following covid-19. It is also necessary to ensure that the incentives for recovery, currently being developed and implemented at global, regional and national levels, are effectively effective, with policies, legislation and investments focused on the common good and with the guarantee that global social and environmental objectives are achieved " .  

This year should lead to long-term operational plans, to achieve the practice of integral ecology in families, parishes, dioceses, religious orders, schools, universities, health care, businesses, on farms and in many other areas "." We are also happy that believing communities are converging to create a more just, peaceful and sustainable world. It is a reason for particular joy that the Time of Creation is becoming a truly ecumenical initiative.

"We continue to grow in the awareness that we all live in a common home as members of the same family!" concludes.