EUROPE - “The challenge of climate change is an issue of justice...climate change can cause untold suffering and hardship, can hamper integral human development and can harm creation.” A letter to Churches in Europe.

St. Gallen (Agenzia Fides) – In light of the United Nations' Conference on Climate Change, which will be held in Copenhagen, December 7-18, 2009, the European Conference of Churches (CEC) and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) have issued a joint letter to the Churches in Europe entitled “Churches responding to climate change.” “Climate change is an issue for each one of us. It affects the life of the whole planet. Earth and all its ecosystems is a precious gift which we have received from God,” the text of the letter says. It also highlights that “In a world of limited natural resources we need to foster a lifestyle which prevents all abuse of God’s gifts in creation and promotes a good stewardship of all that God has given us in Creation.”
To “encourage Churches and Christians in Europe to take appropriate action to address the challenge of climate change,” the text exhorts them to “note that the challenge of climate change is an issue of justice. Those who have contributed least to the problem of climate change, because they live in less developed and less industrialized regions, are the first to feel the effects. We need to recognize their concerns and to join together in addressing them.” The text also encourages them to acknowledge that “climate change can cause untold suffering and hardship, can hamper integral human development and can harm creation.” The Churches are further advised to “to take part in initiatives for saving energy, in the promotion of renewable energy, in addressing the negative effects of climate change and in educating to an ecological responsibility aimed at safeguarding an authentic human ecology.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 6/11/2009)