During a July 21 Vatican press conference, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development called for an immediate end to new coal, oil, and gas production.

“All new exploration and production of coal, oil, and gas must immediately end, and existing production of fossil fuels must be urgently phased out,” said Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, as he presented the Pope’s Message for the 2022 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (CWN coverage).

There “must be a just transition for impacted workers into environmentally sound alternatives,” Cardinal Czerny continued. “The proposed Fossil Fuel Nonproliferation Treaty holds great promise to complement and enhance the Paris Agreement.”