Vatican at UN: Statement on Existential threats posed by sea-level rise

Cardinal Pietro Parolin - Image Vatican Media

On 24 September 2026, in New York, during the High-Level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, delivered a statement at the High-Level Meeting to Address the Existential Threats Posed by Sea-level Rise.

Cardinal Parolin stressed that sea-level rise threatens homes, livelihoods, food and water security, cultural heritage and ancestral lands, particularly affecting vulnerable coastal communities and States. He called for a culture of care that places human dignity and the common good at the centre of climate action.

He emphasised the importance of solidarity, justice and international cooperation, including strengthened mitigation efforts and access to financial, technological and technical resources for vulnerable States, particularly small island developing States and low-lying coastal communities, to support adaptation, resilience and efforts to address loss and damage.

The full text of the statement follows.

Statement of His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin,
Secretary of State of His Holiness,
at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting
to Address the Existential Threats Posed by Sea-level Rise

New York, 24 September 2026

Mr. President,

The Holy See welcomes the convening of this "High-Level Meeting to Address the Existential Threats Posed by Sea-level Rise" as an important opportunity to renew the commitment to address a challenge that is already affecting communities and ecosystems and putting the existence of some communities and States at risk.

Sea-level rise is not just an environmental or scientific issue. It threatens homes and livelihoods, undermines food and water security, and puts cultural heritage and ancestral lands at risk of being lost. Those most affected are often "impoverished coastal populations who have nowhere else to go."[1]

Mr. President,

Pope Leo XIV calls for a shift "from collecting data to caring"[2]. In this regard, the threat of sea-level rise highlights the "responsibility to promote, through collective and joint commitment, a culture of care, which places human dignity and the common good at the center."[3] This culture of care must translate knowledge into responsibility and responsibility into action.

This action must be based on solidarity, justice and genuine international cooperation. Strengthened efforts are needed to mitigate climate change, while ensuring that vulnerable States, particularly small island developing States, and low-lying coastal communities, have access to the financial, technological and technical resources necessary for adaptation, resilience, and addressing loss and damage.

Mr. President,

In addressing sea-level rise, it is necessary to ensure that the common commitment is not only measured by the policies adopted, but also by the determination to safeguard the God-given dignity of every person and to build a future of hope for generations to come.

Thank you.

[1] Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter Laudato Si', 48.
[2] Pope Leo XIV, Address to the participants in the "Raising Hope" Conference on the Tenth Anniversary of the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si'.
[3] Pope Francis, Video Message for the High-Level Virtual Climate Ambition Summit 2020, 12 December 2020.