Joint Letter to State Department Regarding Climate Change, October 28, 2015

Joint Letter to State Department Regarding Climate Change, October 28, 2015, signed by Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski, Chairman, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Bishop Oscar Cantu, Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace, Sr. Donna Markham, President & CEO, Catholic Charities USA, and Dr. Carolyn Woo, President, Catholic Relief Services

In his Encyclical, Laudato Sí, On Care for Our Common Home, Pope Francis calls on Catholics and people of goodwill to acknowledge “the intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet” and the need to address climate change.  On his recent visit to our nation Pope Francis said, “[C]limate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our ‘common home’, we are living at a critical moment of history.” 

In the words of a recent appeal by Cardinals, Patriarchs and Bishops from across the globe, the undersigned national Catholic organizations respectfully request that the United States exhibit leadership in reaching "a major break-through in Paris, for a comprehensive and transformational agreement supported by all based on principles of solidarity, justice and participation.” We are grateful for the leadership exhibited by the Administration in proposing national carbon emission standards and including funding for the Green Climate Fund in its budget submission, but even more leadership is needed. 

climate-change-letter-administration-re-climate-change-10-28-2015.pdf