This reflection, by our Campaigns & Advocacy Adviser Richard Solly, is part of the Jesuits for Climate Justice Prayer Guide for COP30.
Why have years of COP talks not made more progress than they have? Because those who need to change refuse to do so.
So-called “developed” countries have grown rich through exploiting others, including through the grave moral evils of imperialism and colonialism. These countries’ early industrialisation poured carbon emissions into the atmosphere for many decades before newly industrialising countries joined them.
But they refuse to provide the money that so-called “developing” countries need to deal with the damage already done and ensure that their own economic development will not add to it.
Meanwhile, countries that have grown rich through the production of coal, oil and gas refuse to stop producing them – refuse even to aspire to stop. So climate catastrophe draws ever nearer.
And the proposed “green” solutions seem to involve even more extraction – of “transition” minerals – so that consumer lifestyles can continue without emitting so much carbon, but at the cost of devastating communities and ecosystems through an increase in the mining of copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, iron ore, etc.
Pope Francis pointed out in Laudato Si’ (§21) that “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.” What is needed is a true “ecological conversion”.
Pope Francis says we need the conviction that “less is more” because “a constant flood of consumer goods can baffle the heart” (Laudato Si’ §222).
We need to hear “both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” (Laudato Si’ §49).
Lord Jesus, it is hard not to despair, hard not to be embittered by the injustice and foolishness at work.
But it is also hard for those of us with more than we need to accept less so that others can have enough; and hard for those without enough to find ways of surviving which do not add to the problem.
Please help us not to despair, not to give up the struggle and not to judge others.
Fill us all with wisdom, courage and enormous love.
Help us save this gorgeous planet in which You became incarnate and for whose well-being You gave up Your life.
Amen.
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