More Than 60 Catholic Organizations Issue Statement on COP26 Draft Agreement

As Catholics, united for our common home, we urgently ask leaders at the United Nations 26th Climate Change Conference to follow Pope Francis' leadership in reaching a prophetic final agreement.

The science is clear: an extractive, unsustainable economy, fueled by fossil fuels, is causing the climate crisis that's destroying God's creation and harming the most vulnerable among us the most, those who have done little to cause the crisis.

We owe it to our poorest sisters and brothers, future generations, and all of God's creation to seize this historic opportunity. In 2015, Pope Francis wrote in Laudato Si’ that fossil fuels need “to be progressively replaced without delay." Now, in 2021, we have reached a decisive moment. We must reach an agreement in Glasgow that sets a clear and ambitious timeline for a just transition away from harmful fossil fuels. Setting out such a pathway is an essential step to accelerating investment in a clean energy future for all.

As Catholics, we have other priorities for the final agreement as well, including recognizing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and keeping the commitment of 1.5 degrees. It is also essential that the final declaration reaffirms the commitment to climate finance for adaptation, as well as loss and damage.

But above all, a final agreement must deliver on a clear pathway forward to a just transition away from an extractive economy based on fossil fuels, the root cause of the climate crisis. We will continue working and praying for that prophetic outcome.

Signed  -

Bishop John Arnold, Environment spokesperson for Bishops of England and Wales

Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI)

Christine Allen, Director, CAFOD

Eduardo Agosta Scarel, O. Carm., CarmeliteNGO.org

Daniel Misleh, Founder, and Jose Aguto, Executive Director, Catholic Climate Covenant

Alistair Dutton, Chief Executive, SCIAF (Caritas Scotland)

Joe Gunn, Executive Director, Centre Oblat

Josianne Gauthier, Secretary General, CIDSE

Laura Morales, Chapter Leader Citizens' Climate Lobby Colombia

Rohan Dominic, CMF, Fondazione Proclade Internazionale, Claretian Missionaries

Sister Durstyne Farnan, OP Dominican Leadership Conference

Stefania Papa, EcoOne - Focolare Movement

Budi Tjahjono, Franciscans International

Analisa Ramsahai, Regional Programme Coordinator, The Franciscan Institute for Personal and Family Development, Caribbean

Rev. Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith

Sr Ann Marie Quinn, International Presentation Association

Michel Roy, Justice et Paix France

Br. Angelito Cortez, OFM, Vice Director, OFM-JPIC General Cura office

Sr Sheila Kinsey, FCJM, JPIC Commission USG-UISG

Jessica Gatty r.a., JPIC co-ordinator, Religious of the Assumption Europe

Bishop Martin Hayes, Laudato Si Coordinator, Irish Episcopal Conference

Sr Maureen O' Connell, JPIC, Diocese of Kerry, Ireland.

Steeven Kezamutima, Program Manager ,JPIC-Franciscans Africa

Leah Watkiss, Chair, Joint Ecological Ministry (JEM)

Anja Appel, Director, KOO / Austria

Marvie L. Misolas, MM  Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic/Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Angela Reed rsm,  Head, Mercy Global Action, Mercy International Association

Amy Echeverria, Missionary Society of St. Columban (International)

Paul Southgate, Chair, National Justice and Peace Network for England and Wales

Lorna Gold, President, and Tomas Insua, Executive Director, Laudato SI’ Movement

Fr. Santiago González, OFM, MLS - Colombia

Tra-my Nguyen, Young Adult Ministry Project Worker, Religious of the Assumption

Marianne Comfort, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team

Teresa Kotturan SCN, Sisters of Charity Federation

Frank McCann, CSJP-A, Peace thru Justice Facilitator, Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace

Sr Susanna Choi, Congregational Leader of the Missionary Sisters of St Columban

Darlene O’Leary, Martha Justice Ministry, Sisters of St. Martha, Antigonish, NS, Canada

Michelle Loisel DC, Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul

Dr. Mark Hathaway, Executive Director, Jesuit Forum for Social Faith and Justice, Canada

Thomas Pallithanam, Salesian Missions

Xavier Jeyaraj SJ, Secretary, SJES - Rome (Society of Jesus)

Sylvia Thompson, St John’s Care of Creation , Tralee, Kerry, Ireland.

 Caoimhe de Barra, Chief Executive Officer, Trócaire

Miguel Ángel Velasco López cmf, Misionero Claretiano. Equipo cmf ante la ONU

Maria Lourdes Santos SSpS, VIVAT International

Dr Austen Ivereigh, Campion Hall, University of Oxford

Sr. Judith Bell, President, Franciscan Sisters of Mary

Allen Ottaro, CEO, CYNESA

Sr. Amarachi Grace Ezeonu, NGO Representative - Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur at the UN

Sr. Sue Wilson, CSJ, Executive Director, Office for Systemic Justice, Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada

Lina Sedano Rodríguez - Coordinator Laudato SI’ Movement Chapter Colombia

Rosa María Berrío Herazo, Animadora Laudato SI’ Córdoba, Colombia.                                                   Emilia Sena Coordinadora del Equipo de Solidaridad y Misión de los Misioneros Claretianos de America. SOMICLA

Mark Campanale, London

Luke Henkel, Laudato Si Generation

Susan Gunn, Director  Maryknoll Office for Global Concern.

Stephen Makagutu, Laudato Si Movement- Africa

Fr. Dermot Lane, co-chair  Laudato Si Working Group, Irish Episcopal Conference

 Henry Ramirez Soler cmf equipo Claretiano ante la ONU

Joan Atkinson, CSJ in Canada, Office for Systemic Justice

 Rodne R. Galicha, Living Laudato Si’ Philippines

Sister Margo Ritchie, Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada

Fr. Francis J Breen, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers