A Duty of justice

Global warming “has been unequivocally demonstrated”, is primarily determined by emissions linked to productive processes but also by “our lifestyle”. We are undergoing a “peak” in the atmosphere’s average temperature and if the trend continues “we will undergo severe risks for the human and natural environment” and ecological catastrophes. Mr. Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Professor at the Catholic University of Louvain, and IPCC Vice-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Climate Change Committee (Ipcc) was one of the members of the expert group who worked on the Comece Report titled: “A Christian View on Climate Change”. Risks for the environment and mankind. Personalities from politics and science of various countries worked on in the Report, coordinated by Mr. Franz Fischler, former EU-Commissioner. The thorough document presented on October 29 in Brussels, starts from the scientists’ analysis, stresses “the impact of climate change on ecosystems and individuals”, reveals “the political challenges” posed in this field, presents ethical considerations mainly focused on the Christian Community and tries to explain Europe’s role in the fight against global warming. “The mostly struck categories will be the poor, children and elderly people” , Mr. van Ypersele explained, thus calling for immediate “solidarity among generations”. “If global warming continues at its current pace- the expert added – 20%-305 of plants and animal species will be at risk of extinction”, with all obvious consequences.New opportunity from the crisis. The professor of the Lovaine University listed various examples to explain the effects of the changes: due to global warming Artic caps and glaciers will continue to melt and change the mountains and internal regions landscapes, while coastal areas, like the delta Nile or Netherlands, will suffer inundation from rising sea levels. A scenario with “serious consequences” for mankind. For the expert it is however “possible” and “urgent” to intervene “modifying individual behaviours”, by taking action on production systems (from manufacturing to building, from transportation to energy) reducing the use of automobiles, limiting consumption. ” The current financial and economic crisis, notwithstanding a serious problem for all the countries, could turn into an opportunity”, he highlighted. “In fact while we are redesigning markets and our economies, we can introduce positive changes”, for example by investing on less polluting productive systems”.Solidarity among generations. Mr. Charlotte Kreuter-Kirchhoff, professor at the University of Bonn, pointed out how climate change is a “matter of justice”, since the negative effects have more severe consequences especially on “the poor, vulnerable and those with less adaptive and response capabilities”. The expert also stressed how water shortage on one hand and flooding on the other “will force millions of people to migrate”, the effects on plants and animal species will impoverish many mainly agricultural regions; “conflicts on water and food resources will become recurrent and deadly”. Mr. Kreuter-Kirchhoff explained the need for a “new solidarity” among different countries “and different generations”. “We ask the EU- he added- to adopt reality-focused policies. At the same time, each one of us must think of new behaviours”, marked by a drop in consumption and “better life quality”. Not only consumer. From the Climate Change Report we have “drawn ethical considerations” universally valid “indications for the Christian Community”, and “some social and political suggestions, even concerning EU’s role”. Mgr. Adrianus van Luyn, bishop of Rotterdam and Comece President, expressed his “strong appreciation” for the experts’ report. The issue will be submitted to the Comece Bishops during their Plenary Assembly ((Brussels November 12-14), “together with the urgent matter of the financial crisis” and its effects on the economy and society. “We must go back to considering people not only as consumers but as spiritual individuals, who have relationships, individual and collective responsibilities “towards the poor and less developed countries”. ” We must all consider the good of all mankind and of man as a whole”, Mgr. Van Luyn said to SIR, indicating three “key-words”: “spirituality, which is the opposite of secularization”; “solidarity, which is the opposite of any type of individualism”; “sobriety, “to win against materialism and consumerism that lead us to act disrespectfully towards the environment and our fellow men”.