“Seeing the suffering of our brothers and sisters […] we are moved to respond to the poverty and inequality caused by a development based on environmentally unsustainable economic activities, the improper use of natural resources and increasing unplanned urbanisation that endanger the people who suffer from disasters, all of which is aggravated by the effect of global warming.”


In order to respond to these disturbing trends, Caritas agencies are building their understanding of climate change and its impacts through various initiatives. Caritas India organised a climate change conference in September 2008 and has embarked on a capacity building initiative at the local level to better integrate climate change considerations in its planning.

The Siyabhabha Trust (Caritas South Africa) is looking at how existing local coping strategies can inform climate resilience strategies. Caritas members from Latin America and the Caribbean held a workshop in October 2008 on environment, risk management and emergencies and developed recommendations for the climate justice campaign. Caritas organisations are working to ensure that the priorities of the poor are included in plans for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Caritas members are engaged in educational and capacity-building efforts to become more effective advocates, at the local and regional levels, to address the impact of climate change in their respective communities. For example, during 2008, Caritas Peru organised workshops with the participation of Caritas staff, in order to prioritise problems, formulate strategic objectives and recommend appropriate measures against the negative effects of climate change.

Catholic Relief Services works with other Catholic organisations to challenge Catholics in the USA to live their faith by recognising the links between their actions and their impact on others around the globe. The CRS campaign promotes the following messages:

• Climate change is a moral issue that demands our action. Care for the poor and acting for the common good are two principles of Catholic Social Teaching that obligate us to address this issue.
• Climate change is a global relief and development issue.
• Climate change is unquestionably a global solidarity issue.
• Education programmes can show people what they can do to:
  • Encourage prayer and thoughtful consideration of the links between care of creation and lifestyle choices
  • Reduce their carbon footprint at home, in their parishes and at work
  • Educate others
  • Advocate with legislators, policy makers, business leaders
  • Donate to programmes to mitigate their contribution to climate change, and help people overseas adapt to its consequences.³⁷

The Commission of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the European Community (COMECE) emphasises the role of civil society bodies such as non-governmental organisations, foundations, grassroots movements, churches and faith-based organisations to interact with governments and market forces to achieve ‘eco-efficiency’ (doing more and better with less). They also support ‘ecojustice’ initiatives such as eco-incentives and eco-taxes, in addition to direct regulation. The bishops further remark on “the ability of civil society to enlist political assistance from the grass-roots up, in relation to both quality of life improvements and the direct participation of local, national, and international communities in the choice of development strategies.”³⁸

Many Caritas agencies are interacting with other networks to promote awareness of climate change and build advocacy strategies to combat climate change. A number of Caritas members (including Caritas Australia, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, CAFOD (Caritas England and Wales), Caritas Bangladesh and Caritas Kenya) are members of national and regional Climate Action Networks that are active in mobilising civil society in demanding stronger commitments from governments in the UNFCCC process to forge a strong agreement in combating climate change. Caritas Kenya is a member of the Kenya Climate Change Working Group that is composed of all civil society organisations working in the area of climate change in Kenya. The coalition aims to research, create awareness and contribute towards national legislation on climate change.