Catholic church leaders, supporters, aid agencies and advocacy groups are joining forces to urge world leaders for climate justice at talks in Copenhagen.

Caritas Internationalis and CIDSE represent 180 Catholic agencies campaigning for a new deal on climate change that puts the needs of the poor first.

They’re bringing representatives and bishops from 25 countries to Copenhagen to lobby governments to seize a once in a generation chance to leave a green legacy for future generations. These include Mexico, Zambia, South Africa, North America, the Pacific Islands, Mozambique, Kenya, and Europe.

Caritas Internationalis Secretary General Lesley-Anne Knight will be at the talks. She said, “World leaders must agree to legally binding commitments to cutting greenhouse gasses and to paying for the damage that climate change is having on poor communities.

“They must set a new vision with a shared responsibility to the Earth. We must all live more sustainable less excessive consumerist lifestyles. This will be painful, but not as painful as doing nothing. The outcome of Copenhagen must be part of a new global ethic that reconnects us to nature otherwise it will have failed.”

CIDSE Secretary General Bernd Nilles will also be present. He said, “Caritas and CIDSE supporters have been campaigning for over 12 months for a just deal at Copenhagen. Catholic communities around the world want to see their leaders take the necessary measures to safeguard our futures.”

Caritas and CIDSE condemn recent political moves and media reporting that seek to downplay expectations for the outcome of the talks. “Delay is unacceptable, we want to see justice at Copenhagen,” said Nilles.

CIDSE and Caritas Internationalis are calling for a fair, effective and binding agreement in Copenhagen, and say this must be based on a set of essential criteria.
  • Developed countries must commit to at least €131 billion additional public financing per year by 2020, using secure and predictable financing mechanisms, to support developing countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change and to develop sustainably.
  • Global commitment to keeping global warming well below 2°C, to emissions peaking between 2013 and 2017, and to achieving a stable level of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere to 350ppm.
  • Industrialized countries as a group taking a target of more than 40% below 1990 levels by 2020, the vast majority of which should be met through domestic emissions reductions.
  • Copenhagen outcomes must be legally binding and enforceable.

Contact
For more information or to set up interviews (in various languages) with CIDSE and Caritas leadership and climate experts from South and North:
  • Patrick Nicholson, nicholson@caritas.va, +393343590700. In Copenhagen: +45 30488782 (10-14 December 2009)
  • Roeland Scholtalbers, scholtalbers@cidse.org, +32478962013. In Copenhagen: +45 30287853 (11-16 December 2009)

Caritas and CIDSE at Copenhagen
Lesley-Anne Knight, Caritas Internationalis Secretary General Bernd Nilles, CIDSE Secretary General

Africa: Caritas Kenya National Executive Janet Mangera; Caritas South
Africa’s Sr Aine Hughes; Bishop Joao Silota from Mozambique; Samuel Mulafulafu of Caritas Zambia; Firmin Adjahossou, SECAM (Ghana); Safia Abdi Dima, Cordaid Kenya; Stephen Mutiso, Livelihoods-Kenya; Agnes Kithikii, CAFOD Kenya; and Archbishop Cyprian Lwanga of Kampala, President of Caritas Africa.

Asia: Caritas India’s Sunil Simon; Caritas Bangladesh President Bishop Theotonius Gomes; Caritas Indonesia President Bishop Martinus Dogma Situmorang; Caritas Cambodia’s Executive Director Kim Rattana.

Europe: Caritas Denmark Secretary General Jann Sjursen; Caritas Spain Director Jose Luis Perez Larios; Caritas Europa President Fr Erny Gillen; CIDSE president/Cordaid Director René Grotenhuis (the Netherlands); CAFOD, Director Chris Bain( the UK); VnM-FOCSIV Director Sergio Marelli (Italy); CCFD-Terre Solidaire Director Antoine Malafosse (France); MISEREOR Director Joseph Sayer (Germany).

Latin America: Caritas Mexico President Bishop Gustavo Rodriguez Vega; Roberto Urbina of Caritas Chile; Manuel de Jesus Moran Hidalgo of Caritas El Salvador; Jose Cervantes Rubio of Caritas Honduras; Elizabeth Peredo, Director of Fundación Solón (Bolivia); Christian Gaston Dominquez Noco, CSUTCB (Bolivia); Felix Laime Poma and Rafael Arcangel Quispe Flores, CONAMAQ (Bolivia); Ramiro Galindo Chavez, CIDOB (Bolivia); Ever Mario Choquehuanca Callisaya, CSIB (Bolivia); Alivio Aruquipa Lao, leader of the Capi community (Bolivia).

North America: Walter Grazer of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment (USA).

Oceania: Fr Michael Mackenzie, Kiribati.