Pope Francis has today published a heartfelt plea for urgent action to save our planet from imminent destruction through human-caused climate change.
In his latest teaching Laudate Deum – Latin for 'Praise God' – the Pope writes: 'With the passage of time, I have realised that our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point.'
The Pope describes climate change as 'one of the principal challenges facing society and the global community' and says its effects 'are borne by the most vulnerable people, whether at home or around the world'.
Dr Lorna Gold, CEO of FaithInvest, welcomes the Pope's call for urgent action, including a swift move towards renewable energies.
In an article published this morning in The Tablet, Dr Gold writes: 'One of the most impactful ways that institutions are taking action is by aligning their investments with their beliefs and values. Finance underpins everything that fossil fuel companies do, from getting the money for new drilling projects to securing insurance for this dangerous work.'
Laudate Deum
Known as an Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum is a relatively short document, with only six chapters and 73 paragraphs, but contains a series carefully-argued points calling for urgent action, from faith-based to scientific, and from meteorological to financial, with a special focus on a call for 'decisive acceleration of energy transition' towards renewable energies. Laudate Deum is available in eight languages, including Arabic.
The publication is unusually specific for an Apostolic Exhortation in that it suggests that COP 28 could be an opportunity to bring about the changes necessary to prevent global catastrophe in our lifetime.
The Pope writes: 'If we are confident in the capacity of human beings to transcend their petty interests and to think in bigger terms, we can keep hoping that COP28 will allow for a decisive acceleration of energy transition, with effective commitments subject to ongoing monitoring. This Conference can represent a change of direction, showing that everything done since 1992 was in fact serious and worth the effort, or else it will be a great disappointment and jeopardise whatever good has been achieved thus far.'
A message for many faiths
Although a Catholic document, the message of Laudate Deum will likely resonate among many faiths. As Dr Gold points out, 'the Catholic Church isn’t alone in being concerned about climate change. The Church of England has made a credible commitment to net zero and divested from oil and gas companies. The Muslim Council of Britain equips volunteers to address sustainability and climate change within communities. Sikh and Buddhist communities across the world have mobilised to re-generate sacred forests.'
She concludes: 'All faiths are now prioritising action on climate.'
Read Dr Gold's opinion piece in The Tablet.
Read Laudate Deum.
How can we help?
If this story has raised concerns with you as a faith-based asset owner, FaithInvest is available to assist you to explore how a faith-based approach to investing will help to align your beliefs, teachings and values with your investments. Find out about our benefits and services here and contact us at info@faithinvest.com