Caritas team in Poland
By Christine Campeau and Floriana Politi
« Create a Climate for Justice »
As faith-based organizations, CIDSE and Caritas Internationalis have come together to bring their collective moral weight to the call for justice in the future global climate change agreement.
We are calling for justice for the poor and vulnerable people in developing countries around the world who are most affected by the adverse effects of climate change despite having done least to create the problem.
As global temperatures continue to rise, this is having a grave impact on climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture and fisheries. Damage to these sectors sets back the countries’ development by decades and is having devastating effects the lives and livelihoods of the poor. Despite their resilience and their innovation, the adaptive capabilities of poor and vulnerable people are becoming increasingly challenged.
CIDSE and Caritas Internationalis’ community based approach emphasizes the needs of the most vulnerable people and our solidarity with their fight.
The Caritas Internationalis-CIDSE campaign was officially launched on Sunday 7th December in Poznan. On that occasion, a press conference was held with H.E. Theotonius Gomes, Bishop of Dhaka and President of Caritas Bangladesh speaking on the panel. Other spokespersons included Fr. Marian Subocz, Director of Caritas Poland, CIDSE President René Grotenhuis, and Nafisa D’Souza, a partner from Laya, India. The presence of the Polish media was particularly welcome given the prominent role Poland is playing in the current climate negotiations in the EU.
The ongoing discussions within the Conference of the Parties 14th to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have presented us with the right moment and the right momentum for the launch of the Caritas Internationalis-CIDSE Campaign. As we reach the halfway mark in the negotiations for a new global climate change agreement, our networks have used this opportunity to highlight the obligation for all countries to recognize their responsibilities and to come up with an effective agreement in Copenhagen by the end of 2009.
Our campaign asks are that:
• All countries should recognize and protect the right to sustainable
development of people in developing countries, and prioritise the most vulnerable.
• Industrialized countries should provide sufficient, secure
additional and accessible financial and technological support for adaptation and mitigation efforts by developing countries.
• Industrialized countries should commit to at least 30- 40% reduction
in emissions by 2020 (based on 1990 levels)
We were privileged to have, in just a few short weeks, the support of almost one hundred Northern and Southern Archbishops, Bishops and Cardinals for the launch of our campaign for climate justice. The CIDSE-Caritas Internationalis campaign will run throughout 2009 following progress in the negotiations, promoting postcards and online petitions, and holding joint moments to urge governments to achieve an effective, equitable and socially just post-2012 agreement.
The presence of the Catholic community has been warmly welcomed and greatly appreciated by all those fighting for a strong and fair new climate agreement. Importantly, as global Catholic networks Caritas Internationalis and CIDSE provide a powerful moral weight to the fight for climate justice. Caritas members have been highlighting the urgency of climate change for a number of years. Now Caritas Internationalis and CIDSE together are bringing the experience and the perspective of our members and partners to the forefront in international discussions.
We look forward to further support from our membership organizations as our campaign progresses forward.
07.12.08
Today marked the official launch of the Caritas Internationalis/CIDSE campaign on climate justice. To inaugurate this special occasion, mass was held in the beautiful Fara Church in the Old Market Center in Poznan. The ceremony was co-celebrated by Bishop Grzegorz from Poznan, Bishop Gomes from Dhaka, Bangladesh and by Fr. Marian Subocz from Caritas Poland.
To highlight the importance of the protection the earth, children from the local parish brought up offerings to the altar, which included a plant, some soil and water to symbolize the elements of the earth. Prayers were said in English, Spanish, French, and Polish to give a voice to the poor who are most vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change around the globe and to demonstrate the international feel of the campaign.
The message of the Bishop Grzegorz Homily was “Instead of changing the world in a manner consistent to cooperation with God the Creator, people are destroying the world in which we live. Truly astonishing is the blindness of man, who places himself above God’s commandments […]
We fight for ecology, for clean air, water and earth. It is good that there are such initiatives. Nevertheless, they will not affect many changes if people will not return to God and His commandments. The world will never be ecologically clean as long as human hearts are unclean, as long as the laws of human nature are trampled upon.”
Renee Grotenhuis, President of CIDSE and Director of CORDAID and Bernd Nilles, Secretary General of CIDSE along with the rest of the CIDSE team joined with Floriana Polito and Christine Campeau from Caritas Internationalis to participate at this event. In addition, Mizanur Rahman from Caritas Bangladesh and Ms. Sherin Jacob from Caritas India also took part at the Holy Mass.
06.12.08
Christine and Floriana, the Caritas Internationalis delegation
Today we spent the day with Mr. Mizanur Rahman from Caritas Bangladesh discussing at great length the particular environmental challenges that his country faces. In order to overcome these obstacles, he explained that his government works closely with the civil society groups to find solutions.
Mr. Rahman highlighted to us that state officials and policy-makers turn to the local NGOs and grass-root networks for their experience and knowledge on the ground. It is hoped that these inputs and suggestions will assist to find the root causes of the problems and eventually develop the resolutions to correct them.
The representative from Caritas Bangladesh furthered by giving us details about the drought relief programme that is to be launched on December 13th in his community to assist the agricultural capacities on their ‘water challenged’ soil.
Lastly, he shared with us the issue of financing such programs and the need for funds to be channeled without imposed conditions. Mr. Rahman expressed his understanding for the financial donors to desire a system of accountability for their funds but he highlighted the importance that those conditions do not dictate the direction of the spending.
Moreover on the occasion of the participation of H.E. Theotonius Gomes, Bishop of Dhaka and President of Caritas Bangladesh, an informal private meeting was organized with some representatives of the Bangladeshi delegation. The gathering offered the opportunity to get some clarification on the ongoing negotiation processes and on Bangladesh’s position. One of the technical adviser of the delegation explained that COP 14 is not a decision-making meeting. State Parties to the UNFCCC came together to collect information and set up the ground (la base) for the negotiation process, which will take place in Bonn throughout the year and determine the outcome in Copenhagen.
