The statement calls for the implementation of the Loss and Damage Fund, climate debt cancellation, and a just energy transition

Fr Peter Gallagher SJ, Provincial of the Jesuits in Britain, has signed the Jesuits for Climate Justice Global Statement for COP29, reinforcing the call for global leaders to address the climate crisis with decisive measures.

The statement calls for three key actions:

• Make the Loss and Damage Fund effective, providing immediate, grant-based support to communities most affected by climate change, particularly in the Global South.
• Cancel climate debt to free up resources for countries to invest in climate resilience and sustainability.
• Advance just energy transitions to low-carbon economies that respect Indigenous rights, protects natural ecosystems, and prioritises sustainable livelihoods over profit.

In line with Pope Francis’s environmental mission, the Jesuits in Britain have been actively contributing to help tackle the climate crisis. These efforts include divesting from fossil fuel companies and founding the Laudato Si’ Research Institute at Oxford University, which is dedicated to advancing an integral ecology approach.

Jesuit Missions, the international development office and mission of the Jesuits in Britain, has been working alongside other Jesuit organisations in Europe and Africa to pressure governments involved in the COP29 climate talks to take the actions necessary to stop climate catastrophe. Last month, schoolchildren and the Provincial delivered Jesuit Missions’ climate petition to Downing Street, where over 600 signatories called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to demand serious climate action at COP29.

Commenting, Fr Peter Gallagher SJ, said:

“The Jesuits are called to an ecological conversion, recognising the need to care more deeply for our common home. With our presence in over a hundred countries, we are urged to act for the benefit of all. Many Jesuits live in regions already deeply affected by the ecological crisis, making our response even more urgent. The Pope’s teachings continue to guide us, calling us to reflect on the ways we harm the earth and encouraging us to take action for the wellbeing of all creation”

With the Global Statement in mind, Fr James Hanvey SJ, a British Jesuit working in Rome, has written a powerful piece enjoining us to celebrate life’s interconnectedness and calling on us to protect our common home together. You can read his article here - Preparing for COP 29: Mystics, Prophets and Friends « Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat.

Banner photo by Matthew TenBruggencate on Unsplash