Vatican City, 1 December 2015 (VIS) – Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin spoke yesterday at the opening of the 21st Conference of States Parties to the Convention COP 21, held in Paris from 30 November to 11 December. After communicating Pope Francis’ greetings and encouragement to the the participants in the hope of a fruitful outcome, the Cardinal mentioned the Holy Father’s address to the United Nations Office at Nairobi on 26 November, when he expressed his hope that the Paris conference result in the adoption of a “global and transformational” agreement, based on the principles of solidarity, justice, equality and participation, orientated towards the attainment of three complex and interdependent objectives: mitigating the effects of climate change, combating poverty, and promoting the dignity of the human person.
He went on to list the three pillars of this “global and transformational” agreement. “The first consists in the adoption of a clear ethical orientation, inspiring the motivations and aims of the Agreement to be implemented. We are well aware that the people most vulnerable to the impact of the phenomenon of climate change are the poorest and future generations, who suffer the gravest consequences, often without bearing any responsibility. … Faced with the urgency of a situation that requires the broadest collaboration possible so as to reach a common plan, it is important that this Agreement be focused on the recognition both of the ethical imperative to act in a context of global solidarity, and of the common but differentiated responsibilities of all actors in accordance with their respective capacities and conditions”.
“The second pillar regards the fact that the Agreement should not only identify the methods for its implementation, but should also and above all transmit clear signs to guide the behaviour of all the actors involved, beginning with governments, but also local authorities, the world of business, the scientific community and civil society. … This necessitates undertaking with conviction the road towards a low-carbon economy and full human development. … In this regard, the countries with greater resources and capacities should set a good example, contributing resources to those countries in greater need so as to promote sustainable development policies and programmes. For instance, the promotion of renewable energy and dematerialisation, as well as the development of energy efficiency, come to mind, or the correct management of forests, transport and waste; the development of a circular model for the economy; the implementation of appropriate, sustainable and diversified programmes for food safety and to combat food waste; strategies against speculation and ineffective or indeed at times harmful subsidies; and the development and transfer of suitable technologies”.
The third and final pillar is the vision of the future. “COP 21 is not a moment of arrival or a starting point, but rather a crucial path in a process that without doubt will not end in 2015”, emphasised Cardinal Parolin. “An agreement with a long term perspective of this type should provide for processes for the revision of commitments and transparent, effective and dynamic follow-ups, able to progressively increase the level of ambition, as well as to guarantee suitable control. Furthermore, it is necessary to take into serious consideration the implementation of sustainable models of production and consumption, new attitudes, and new lifestyles. Here we enter the fundamental fields of education and training, unfortunately often situated at the margins of negotiations for international agreements. Technical solutions are necessary, but they are not enough if they do not consider education in sustainable life styles and responsible awareness”….
(Vatican Radio) During the in-flight press briefing en-route to Rome at the end of his three-nation visit to Africa, Pope Francis touched on a wide range of topics, from Vatileaks, to condoms, to a forthcoming visit to Mexico. Some of the questions centered around the Nov. 25-30 journey, during which the Pope visited Kenya, Uganda, and the Central African Republic (CAR), marking his first trip to the continent. During the press conference, Pope Francis was asked about those suffering exclusion from basic human rights, as he witnessed during some of his encounters in Africa. The Holy Father gave the example visiting Bangui’s pediatric hospital which lacked basic equipment, where saw severely malnourished children, most of whom were dying of malaria. The Pope condemned economic systems which make a “god of money,” referring to this as the “idolatry of money”. He added that “if mankind does not change, we will continue to have more miseries, tragedies, wars, children who die of hunger, and injustice.” Pope Francis also decried the various forms of exploitation to which much of Africa has been subject. He described Africa as a “martyr of exploitation.” Asked about his impressions of his first visit to Africa, Pope Francis said he was struck by the crowds, the joy, and the “very great sense of welcome” he encountered. The Holy Father remarked on the unique identity of each of the countries he visited: Kenya, which is more modern and developed; Uganda, with its legacy of martyrs; and the CAR, with the people’s “desire for peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness.” Pope Francs was asked about the global threat posed by fundamentalism, and whether religious leaders should intervene at a political level. Rather than intervening politically, the Holy Father said religious leaders should confront the threat of fundamentalism by promoting values, especially those of fraternity and coexistence. He also stressed that fundamentalism can be found in all religions, even Catholicism. Turning to another topic, Pope Francis spoke with journalists about the role of the free press in dealing with matters of corruption. He said the media maintains professional integrity, so long as it avoids misinformation, calumny, and defamation. Also addressed at the press conference was the so-called Vatileaks scandal and the ongoing trial of three Vatican employees and the two journalists charged with publishing stolen information. Pope Francis acknowledged that “an error was made” in the appointment the Vatican employees. The Pope said he was not surprised by the information revealed, since he was already aware of the corruption within the Vatican. Pope Francis added that it was not him, but his predecessors who began the process of rooting out corruption in the Vatican. One journalist asked if the Church would change its teaching on the use of condoms as a preventive method against HIV, which continues to be a widespread epidemic in Africa. Pope Francis responded that the answer must be seen first in a broader context, that of healing the more “serious wound” brought about by injustice; social and environmental injustices, people dying of hunger and thirst, war and the trafficking of arms. Pope Francis also spoke of the escalating international conflicts, as seen for instance with the Russian airplane recently shot down by Turkey. He described war as a “business of weapons,” which destroys humanity. War does not come from God, who is a God of peace, the Pope said. Asked where his next apostolic journey would take him, Pope Francis said he would likely visit Mexico, although the specifics of the trip have not been released. (from Vatican Radio)…