Jesuit groups look back at positives and negatives of COP30

Image: Unsplash/Matheus Camara da Silva

Source: Jesuit Missions

Jesuit groups who were at COP30 in Brazil took part in an online panel event to reflect on what they saw and heard at the climate talks - and what this means for our planet's future.

Patricia Tahirindray from the Centre Arrupe Madagascar, Colm Fahy from the Jesuit European Social Centre, and Daniela Alba from the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat joined the discussion, which was co-hosted by Jesuit Missions and the London Jesuit Centre.

They recognised some of the positive outcomes of the conference - such as more funding for vulnerable countries to deal with the effects of climate change - but were unanimous in their opinions that negotiators could have gone further.

The speakers also all noted the feeling of "solidarity" during COP among those who are passionate about climate action, with a strong Jesuit and Indigenous presence at the talks.

Patricia, who was attending her second COP having been in Azerbaijan last year, said it once again provided her with an opportunity to highlight the damaging impact climate change has on Madagascar and other countries in the Global South.

"We were able to show what a difference climate [measures] can make, and what happens when it is not there," she explained."

She said she left Belém with a feeling of "hope and realism", praising the move to make payments to cover loss and damage due to climate change but describing it as "much lower than is needed", for example.

Colm, who specialises in the concept of a 'just transition' towards renewable energy, said COP30 gave him the chance to promote the idea that such a move must be "fair and inclusive to all" and that it should focus on those most affected by climate change.

He referenced the "strong, uniformed campaign" by the Jesuits, noting this was acknowledged by many other participants at the conference.

This point was shared by Daniela, who co-ordinated the first Jesuit global movement at a COP, and she said it is vital for such an order to be active in these events since it is "known for walking with vulnerable communities".

She was keen to stress that they must keep their foot on the gas when it comes to climate change; that it "can't be just a moment".

"The next steps are crucial," she said. "We see the effects [of climate change] all the time now, we can't continue to ignore them."

She added that the Jesuits would maintain their position that climate action must be led by those who are impacted by environmental issues, particularly Indigenous groups and those in poorer countries, who often have done little to cause them.

"It can't be done by the few, those who don't live with the consequences," she said.

And she highlighted the role of young people in being at the vanguard of climate initiatives.

As part of the campaign, the Jesuits for Climate Justice group, in partnership with education group Fe y Alegria, collected testimonies and drawings from children across the Americas that expressed thoughts on climate change and the precarious state of the planet.

Daniela closed her speech by reading a letter from a student from St Francis Xavier School in Cincinnati, Ohio, which pleaded with world leaders and negotiators at COP to take strong, meaningful action before it is too late.