Card Parolin at COP21 stresses ethical imperative to act in a context of global solidarity
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Card Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, addressed the COP21* summit in Paris on climate change on Monday, emphasising the need for an agreement with a “clear ethical imperative to act in a context of global solidarity” so as to steer public authorities and private institutions "towards a low-carbon economy and full human development” with “processes to revise commitments and conduct transparent, effective and dynamic follow-ups, so as to increase progressively the level of ambition, and guarantee suitable control.”
Speaking before the world forum, the cardinal cited the Holy Father's address to the United Nations Office in Nairobi on 26 November, in which the pope referenced to COP-21 several times and expressed “hope that COP21 will achieve a global and ‘transformational’ agreement based on the principles of solidarity, justice, equality and participation; an agreement which targets three complex and interdependent goals: lessening the impact of climate change, fighting poverty and ensuring respect for human dignity. [. . .] It would be sad, and I dare say even catastrophic, were particular interests to prevail over the common good and lead to manipulating information in order to protect their own plans and projects.”
For Card Parolin, a global and transformational agreement should be based on three pillars. “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 [. . .] climate change are the poorest and future generations, who suffer the gravest consequences, often without bearing any responsibility.
“It should also be noted that this phenomenon allows for neither political borders nor social barriers to isolate oneself. [Instead,] it reinforces in us the awareness that we are one human family and that there is no room for” what some have called “the globalisation of indifference.
“Faced with the urgency of a situation that requires the broadest cooperation possible so as to reach a common plan, it is important that this Agreement be focused on recognising both the ethical imperative to act in a context of global solidarity, and the common but differentiated responsibilities of all the 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 send clear signs to guide the behaviour of all the players involved, beginning with governments, but also local authorities, the world of business, the scientific community and civil society. This means reaching the goals indicated by the Holy Father.
“This entails following with conviction the road towards a low-carbon economy and full human development. How this process unfolds will depend on how all the aforementioned players will engage and cooperate in this area, which offers many opportunities for human ingenuity to allow human dignity to flourish.
“In this respect, 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 food waste reduction; [the formulation of] 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 stage in a process that without doubt will not end in 2015.
“An agreement with a long-term perspective of this type should provide for processes to revise commitments and conduct transparent, effective and dynamic follow-ups, so as to increase progressively the level of ambition, and guarantee suitable control.
“Furthermore, we must take into serious consideration the implementation of sustainable models of production and consumption, as well as new attitudes and lifestyles. Here we enter the fundamental fields of education and training, which, unfortunately, have been often marginalised during the negotiations of international agreements. Technical solutions are necessary, but they are not enough if they do not consider educating people towards sustainable life styles and responsible awareness.
“The current life styles, with their culture of waste, are unsustainable and should have no place in our model of education and development. ‘A great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge stands before us, and it will demand that we set out on the long path of renewal’" (Laudato si’, 202)."
"The Holy Father is encouraging us all so that COP-21 may lead to the adoption of a global and transformational agreement that has a clear ethical orientation, one that can send strong signals to all the stakeholders and adopt a long-term vision consistent with these three objectives, which is to alleviate the impacts of climate change, fight poverty, and allow human dignity to blossom.”
* COP21 refers to the 21st ‘Conference of the Parties’
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