The great challenge

The German Bishops’ Conference (DBK), during its autumn plenary assembly in Fulda, appealed not only to German political and economic leaders, but each individual citizen, in particular each Christian, to engage in an active and concrete commitment to the defence of the environment. Global climate change is “the great challenge of humanity”, declared Cardinal KARL LEHMANN , President of the DBK, who, together with auxiliary bishop BERND UHL and PAUL VELSINGER , member of the Commission for the Environment, presented a document on “Climate change: crucial issue for global inter-generational and ecological justice”. The text was drafted by the Commission for Social Questions and the Commission for the World Church. CLIMATE AND GLOBAL JUSTICE. In presenting the document, Cardinal LEHMANN underlined the problem of the relation between climate change and global justice: “Climate change especially impacts on the life of the poorest people, both at the international level and at the regional level within each nation, where the poorest are those most affected by the consequence of the change”. The cardinal urges the German government to intensify its efforts for the defence of the environment. Bishop UHL , chairman of the Commission for the Environment (ecological questions), appealing to the leaders of the political and economic world and to German society as a whole, asks that measures of prevention and of environmental protection be given greater incentives. The Catholic Church herself ought to increase her contribution to a solution of ecological problems. PAUL VELSINGER expresses in turn the hope that this document be read and supported also by non-Christians, as a severe warning against shortsighted selfishness. THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHURCH. A few years ago climate change was seen as a possible event in a remote future, observes the document. Now it is an irreversible process that is already happening and changing living conditions in a radical way. The protection of the environment is therefore a task that needs to be tackled without any further delays: in 2000, for example, there were 150,000 victims due to rising temperatures and, consequently, floods and epidemics. The lack of drinking water for a large part of humanity has an enormous potential of unleashing social and military conflicts. The health, well-being and security of man cannot be guaranteed in the long term without radical and globally concerted provisions in defence of the environment. The poor countries especially have difficulty in adapting to the consequences of climate change: industrial states, on which the blame for it must be laid, are by contrast able to protect themselves far better against its consequences. This inequality is a fundamental problem of global justice. The consequences will especially be visible in the decades ahead. This poses the question of justice between the generations. Climate change, moreover, has harmful effects on fauna and flora and thus affects the relation between man and the creation. In view of the ethical magnitude of the problem and the existential risk for the fundamental human and Christian values, the document deduces that climate change is a question on which the Church must adopt a clear position and take action now. PERCEIVING/JUDGING/ACTING . Not many positions have been enunciated on this question in the Catholic world so far. The authors of the document want to fill this gap and to proceed in three successive stages: analysis of the climate change caused by man and its consequences; formulation of the criteria for a Christian ethics of sustainability; proposals for climate protection in solidarity with the victims of climate change (need for a global and integrated climate policy, reduction of the causes of climate change, adaptation to the consequences of climate change and contribution of the German Catholic Church with initiatives for the protection of the environment). The document underlines that, to bear witness to Christianity, ethical reflection in itself is not enough: concrete commitment to justice, and the personal practice of the defence of the environment, are equally necessary. THE STRENGTH OF FAITH. The Decree of the Synod of German bishops “Our hope” of 1975 had already affirmed that the Church must mobilise somnolent moral forces not only in favour of a more dignified life for disadvantaged peoples, but also in support of the living conditions of future generations. Central tasks of the Church in this field are: solidarity with present and future victims of climate change, especially with the poor and the weak; defence of their interests – as far as possible in partnership with them – and support for their protests. For a credible and persuasive ethical position, the Church must bear witness with concrete examples. For the Christian faith, commitment to climate protection is not a marginal question, but a proof of its strength.