WASHINGTON – Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City and Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, respective chairmen of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development and International Justice and Peace, and Sean L. Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, have released the following joint statement:

“President Joseph R. Biden announced yesterday that the United States will rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change. It is our hope that the United States will not only seize this challenge to meet the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, called for by the U.S. bishops in 2017, but also become the global climate leader by implementing successful policies that both preserve the environment and promote economic development through innovation, investment and enterprise.

“On the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, Pope Francis called for ‘a culture of care, which places human dignity and the common good at the center.’ The environment and human beings everywhere, especially the poor and vulnerable, stand to benefit from the care of our common home. For this reason, we urge the United States to do more to help poorer nations adapt to the changes in climate that cannot be prevented. 

“The Second Vatican Council asserted that ‘nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in’ the hearts of Christians. Climate change is a genuine human concern that affects all peoples, and the decision to rejoin the Paris Agreement is an important step in the path of care for the environment and respect for the human family.”

Previous USCCB and CRS advocacy related to the Paris Agreement can be found at the following links:

 

###
Media Contacts:
Chieko Noguchi or Miguel Guilarte
202-541-3200