New York: Catholic bishops from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean have issued a joint call to world leaders meeting at the UN General Assembly, urging them to uphold the 1.5°C global warming threshold set in the Paris Agreement. The appeal comes ahead of COP30, which Brazil will host from November 10 to 21, 2025.
In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, the bishops conveyed both their “good will and great concern” for the future of the planet. They stressed that failure to act decisively on climate change risks pushing humanity beyond the point of recovery.
The bishops framed their appeal within the broader Catholic tradition of care for creation. Drawing inspiration from Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ and Pope Leo XIV’s recent call for an “integral ecology rooted in justice,” they reminded leaders that the climate emergency is not only a technical challenge but an existential question of survival, human dignity, and justice.
“The Church will not remain silent,” the bishops wrote. “We will continue to raise our voice alongside science, civil society, and the most vulnerable, with truth, courage, and consistency, until justice is done.” They noted that global warming has already reached 1.55°C in 2024, surpassing the target that governments had pledged to protect.
The bishops warned against superficial responses to the crisis, denouncing “false solutions” such as green capitalism, technocracy, and the commodification of nature. They cautioned that extractivist policies and profit-driven models only deepen inequality and exploitation. Instead, they called for an ecological transition grounded in equity and solidarity.
“Rich nations must pay their ecological debt,” the bishops emphasized, urging fair climate finance mechanisms that do not further indebt developing countries. They insisted on a just transition where the burdens and sacrifices are not borne by the poor and vulnerable alone.
The letter laid out concrete expectations for the international community, including:
• Upholding the Paris Agreement and submitting strengthened Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) consistent with the 1.5°C target.
• Ensuring adequate climate finance to support adaptation and resilience in the Global South.
• Phasing out fossil fuels and placing the common good above corporate profit.
• Protecting Indigenous peoples, biodiversity, and future generations from the consequences of ecological degradation.
While their tone was urgent, the bishops expressed confidence in dialogue as the path to genuine progress. “We remain confident that genuine dialogue, grounded in truth and justice, can guide the international community towards the profound transformations required,” they affirmed. “The urgency of this moment leaves no room for delay, compromise, or half-measures.”
The statement bears the signatures of leading prelates from three major continental episcopal conferences: Cardinal Jaime Spengler of Brazil, President of CELAM; Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao of India, President of FABC; and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of the Democratic Republic of Congo, President of SECAM.
As preparations for COP30 intensify, the bishops’ intervention stands as a moral reminder that climate action is not only a scientific or political necessity but a sacred obligation to protect the common home shared by all peoples and future generations.