As part of its mission to bring forward voices from the Global South, CIDSE is sharing the urgent appeal of bishops from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Ahead of COP30, they call for climate justice, just transitions, and renewed global solidarity to protect our common home.
In a letter to the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September, bishops from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean urged world leaders to strengthen democratic and multilateral processes, such as the Paris Agreement, and rebuild trust in cooperation and dialogue. They emphasised that only united action between the Global North and Global South can safeguard our shared planet.
Drawing from a joint statement entitled “A call for climate justice and the common home: ecological conversion, transformation and resistance to false solutions” issued by the Catholic Episcopal Conferences and Councils of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean on the occasion of COP30, the letter calls for climate justice, ecological conversion and resistance to false solutions. Presented on 1st July to local churches and Pope Leo XIV, the message reflects the Global South’s commitment to protecting creation and invites decision-makers and people of goodwill to act urgently.
The bishops warn that despite the Paris Agreement and Laudato Si’, countries have failed to act with sufficient urgency. With global warming already reaching 1.55°C in 2024, they stress that climate change is not just a technical challenge but “an existential issue of justice, dignity, and care for our common home.”
They emphasise that the 1.5°C limit is non-negotiable, as communities in the Global South are already experiencing the most severe consequences. For this reason, they firmly reject false solutions such as “green capitalism,” extractivism, and the commodification of nature, as these perpetuate inequality and exploitation.
“The Church will not remain silent,” the letter states. “We will continue to raise our voice alongside science, civil society, and the most vulnerable until justice is served.”
The bishops call on decision-makers to ensure compliance with the Paris Agreement and to provide sufficient climate finance, particularly to address loss and damage and to build resilient communities—without further indebting the Global South.
They propose that COP30 should be an opportunity to establish a joint multilateral mechanism to accelerate just transitions. This would give communities access to funding and technology for people-centred development while preserving ecosystems and biodiversity.
At the heart of this appeal is the demand to prioritise the common good over profit, which would require a transformation of the current economic model into one based on solidarity, restoration, and ensuring sustainable living conditions for all.
The bishops’ vision includes climate and nature policies rooted in human rights and the rights of nature, supported by ethical and decentralised technologies. They call for concrete measures such as achieving zero deforestation by 2030, restoring vital ecosystems and halting biodiversity loss.
“We trust that authentic dialogue, based on truth and justice, can guide the international community towards the profound transformations required,” the bishops affirm. “The urgency of this moment leaves no room for delays, compromises or half-measures. COP30 must foster real hope by safeguarding creation and ensuring a dignified future for generations to come.”
The letter, signed by Cardinal Jaime Spengler (CELAM), Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao (FABC) and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (SECAM), was addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell.
Additional information
This text is based on the original article written by Paola Gómez Calderón and published on the CELAM website: https://adn.celam.org/iglesias-del-sur-global-a-la-onu-la-cop30-debe-ofrecer-resultados-acordes-con-la-dimension-de-la-crisis-climatica/.
Additional resources
Launch of the CELAM, FABC and SECAM statement (1/7/2025): https://www.cidse.org/2025/07/01/churches-of-the-global-south-call-for-climate-justice-resisting-false-solutions-and-standing-for-hope/
CIDSE contact: Giorgio Gotra, Operations & Communications manager, CIDSE (gotra(at)cidse.org)
Cover photo: “Casa Comun”, Casa Velha, Portugal. Credit: CIDSE.