Caritas members from different parts of the world will be at the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December to lobby world leaders in favour of climate measures for the poor.
Caritas will urge world leaders to provide adequate funding for poor countries, and to renew their commitment to achieving a legally binding deal that builds on the Kyoto protocol.
Together with partners such as CIDSE and the World Council of Churches, side events will be held, underlining a shared commitment to work for climate justice. Caritas Mexico will also have an exhibit stand at the climate change village.
Highlights include:
3 December: A joint side event entitled with the International Federation of the Red Cross and the World Food Programme entitled: Climate change adaptation and humanitarian action at the UNFCCC conference center (Jaguar room, Cancunmesse)
4 December: An Ecumenical Celebration organised by Caritas Mexico, in collaboration with the World Council of Churches will be held at 6 p.m. Parroquia de Cristo Resucitado, Blvd. Kukulcán Km. 3.5, Zona Hotelera. Everybody is welcome to attend.
5 December: Holy Mass for Climate Justice – The Mass is hosted by Caritas at 1.30 pm in the Parroquia de Cristo Resucitado, Blvd. Kukulcán Km. 3.5, Zona Hotelera. Everybody is welcome to attend.
6 December: 11:30-13:00 Making Climate Finance work for the poor - social & environmental safeguards. A joint CIDSE/Caritas Internationalis event at the UNFCCC conference centre (Monarca room, Cancun Messe)
7 December: 11:30-13:00 Faith based organisations advocate for climate justice A joint Caritas Internationalis-World Council of Churches-ACT Alliance side event at the UNFCCC conference centre (Monarca room, CancunMesse)
10 December: H. E. Msgr. Gustavo Rodriguez Vega, President of Caritas Mexicana is scheduled to present a statement to the plenary of high-level government representatives.
Asks
Caritas calls on rich countries to live up to their current financial obligations on adaptation already promised to developing countries.
The US$30 billion pledged to jump-start adaption programmes must be delivered and must target the poorest communities.
The Copenhagen Accord commitment by developed countries to provide US$100 billion in annual long-term financing by 2020 must be delivered also.
These funds must be allocated transparently, address national and local priorities and be additional to Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding. A fair, ambitious and legally binding global agreement that builds on the Kyoto Protocol is crucial.
The agreement must keep global temperature below 1,5°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
In recognition of their ecological debt, industrialized nations must make absolute reductions of greenhouse gases. Developed countries must reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40% by 2020 based on 1990 levels.
Developing countries must be supported in their efforts to limit the growth of their green house gas emissions.
Caritas in Cancun
The Caritas delegation will be led by Caritas Mexico. It will be composed of more than 30 people, coming from different parts of the world.
They include Mexico, Bishop Gustavo Rodríguez Vega from Mexico, Martin Lago from Spain, Alexis Barnett from Scotland, Jose Wilfredo Cervantes Rubio from Honduras, Albert Mashika from Congo, Firmin Adjahossou from Benin.
Please contact Anne-Sophie Legge on +39 06 69879757/+39 335 8234 233 (in Italy) and +52 044 998 221 9272 (in Mexico) or legge@caritas with any requests.
Multimedia
Excerpt from “Without Rain” – a film about how a remote community supported by Caritas Nepal is affected by and responding to climate change. Film produced for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand by Splashroom media. The full film can be viewed at http://www.caritas.org.nz/withoutrain .
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