Raising Hope Climate Conference: "That iceberg did not die in vain"

Columban Missionaries team with melting iceberg

A photo of Pope Leo blessing a melting piece of iceberg from Greenland has gone viral. He was lamenting the diminishment of glaciers globally due to global warming, while attending the Laudato Si' Movement's 'Raising Hope for Climate Justice' Conference in Italy on Wednesday.

On the final day of the conference two days later, when the iceberg was reduced by half, Dr Lorna Gold, Executive of the Movement, suggested "that iceberg did not die in vain." She hinted that it's fate communicated one of the most dangerous impacts of the climate crisis - reduction of ice cover and the disruption of water systems.

There was hope this visual presentation would stimulate increased global awareness of the climate crisis and spur urgent responses.

Building resilience and hope were themes of the third and final day of the conference in the Focolare Centre at Castel Gandolfo.

An inspirational talk was given by South African Kumi Naidoo, a decades-long climate activist and currently President of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. He had to ask the audience - his "comrades in hope" - to stop constant clapping in order to get through his dynamic presentation! But he could hardly silence us when he pointed out that 86% of climate change is caused by fossil fuel pollution - "we have been in a flooded room moping the floor instead of turning off the taps," he said. "Exactly" exclaimed the Kenyan woman next to me. It should be noted that 88% of the world's population lives in the global south and Naidoo highlighted they are both paying the highest price of the climate crisis, but also leading with solutions. He listed, for example, nations supporting the UN's COP process - from Kiribati and Bahamas to Timor Leste, Pakistan and Colombia.

Naidoo urged us to see coal, oil and gas as "enemies" and responded bluntly to the mantra that transitioning to a green economy would cost jobs; "there are no jobs on a dead planet; there are no people on a dead planet; clinging to fossil fuels will not protect livelihoods." He called for support for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, as a part of the campaign to "turn off the tap at the source." He suggested that, "hope is a verb and a mission and everyone of us has a role."

Another moving presentation was given by Dr Maina Talia, the Climate Minister of the small Pacific Island of Tuvalu and a theologian, who lamented, "climate change is about the very survival of our people." He compared being outside the circle of big players dominating the world's economic system to, "swimming outside of the arc trying to get on." He too called for more faith communities to give priority to disinvesting from fossil fuels. And he deplored the lack of finance available for climate adaption and mitigation, compared to "the amount of finance that is allocated "to war."

This was picked up by Svitlana Romanko, a Ukrainian lawyer and climate activist, who pointed out that military buildups - including that of Russia - are based on fossil fuels and they ignore climate impacts, international law and human rights. Hope for Ukraine's future would be built around a transition to a green economy while rebuilding that half of Ukraine that has been destroyed since Russia's invasion three years ago. The Laudato Si' call "to hear 'the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor' resonates deeply as our habitats, species and human livelihoods have been destroyed," she said.

The issue of tensions around mounting numbers of migrants in many countries - especially with the increasing push factors of climate change and conflict - was addressed by Catherine Coleman Flowers of the US, former Vice-Chair of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. She said of the Church response, "the Church institutions should stand up for justice, but many of them are much too shy." The concept of community was broadened by Dr Maina Talia who suggested that in today's world, "Christians are asked to love our neighbour, but neighbour is transboundary - we must have a geopolitical concept of neighbour."

The conference spent its final hours identifying positive action to tackle the climate crisis and promote integral ecology. Monsignor Robert Vitillo of the Laudato Si Action Platform, which is sponsored by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, listed examples of positive initiatives: planting trees in Nigeria to reduce desertification, restoring mangroves in Kiribati to reduce sea incursion, Catholic universities divesting from fossil fuels, and Catholic hospitals greening their operations. "The Laudato Si Action Platform is a rich treasure," he said, "especially when we act as communities."

Over 120 pledges were made that participants would take away from the conference. They included promoting the Laudato Si' Animators Programme and Laudato Si' Action Platform in their countries; supporting the Jubilee Debt Campaign of Caritas Internationalis; joining the next international public announcement of divestment from fossil fuels; and "raising our voice in a powerful way at Brazil's COP30 climate event next month."

There was a strong call from Yeb Sano, Chair of the Board of the Laudato Si Movement, to turn to our own hearts, "and nourish love and compassion." Building on that, faith communities have the power and moral compass to campaign for the political will, "to turn the climate crisis around." He highlighted the reach of the global Catholic population, which at around 1.4 billion represents about 17.7% of the world's population, and the Church also operates a vast and powerful network of schools, hospitals, and social welfare institutions. He reminded us to remember those missing from decision-making tables and conferences, particularly marginalised people, future generations and the natural world itself. And suggested that in engendering hope we must always remember not only to be seen for what we are against, but for what we stand for. What is our dream?

Everybody was enthused, just as all of had been when Laudato Si' was published ten years ago. We were proud of the ecological justice work of the Catholic Church, in liaison with other Churches and other faiths. Water from our melted glacier, blessed by Pope Francis - estimated to have been in there for 20,000 years - was distributed to participants keen to take it back to their home countries as sacred water. Also, as a reminder that in our own small ways we must support people on the front line of the climate crisis and protect our common home.

LINKS

Raising Hope Conference: https://raisinghope.earth/conference/

Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty: https://fossilfueltreaty.org/