Justice, Peace & Environment

At the end of their autumn plenary meeting, the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales called on the UK government to support the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty campaign that will be presented during the COP30 negotiations taking place from 6-21 November in Belém, Brazil. COP30 offers an important opportunity for countries to recommit to the multilateral promise made through the Paris Agre... Read More

Richard Solly, Campaigns and Advocacy Adviser of Jesuit Missions writes: At the Opening Ceremony, COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev of Azerbaijan handed over to COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago. Babayev spoke of the finance deal made last year at COP29, which he said was inadequate but nonetheless a deal. Developing nations accepted a lower finance goal than they wanted so there is no excuse n... Read More

Quaker climate activist Marcus Decker will not be deported, a judge ruled at his immigration tribunal on Monday, 10 November. Decker had faced deportation thanks to his witness against fossil fuels but defence barristers from Matrix Chambers emphasized that he acted upon his conscience. They said he was a model citizen with a strong moral compass and that it was only a matter of time before clima... Read More

On Remembrance Sunday, 9 November, Every Casualty Counts, hosted by Quakers in Britain, projected a striking Virtual Cenotaph onto the front of Friends House in Euston. In 2024, at least one civilian was killed in war every 12 minutes. The Virtual Cenotaph's light projection focused on the deeply personal cost of war, memorialising 100 ordinary people killed in wars during 2024. This inclusive rem... Read More

Bishop John Arnold, Lead Bishop for the Environment for the Bishops' Conference, has issued a statement on COP30 which takes place in Belém, Brazil, from 10-21 November 2025. The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the United Nations' annual meeting held to assess progress in dealing with climate change. COP30 offers an important opportunity for countries to recommit to the multilateral promise ma... Read More

In a message delivered by Cardinal Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, to the UN Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil, Pope Leo XIV has urged world leaders to make courageous and concrete commitments for the care of creation, reminding them that peace and environmental stewardship are inseparably linked. Cardinal Parolin told delegates: "If you want to cultivate peace, care for creation." The Po... Read More

COP30 starts on Monday, 10 October. The head of the UN has called our inability to keep below 1.5 degrees global warming as "moral failure and deadly negligence". There are so many reasons to despair, to assume that nothing good can come out of yet another conference where fossil fuel lobbyists out-number the delegation of whole countries. And yet, it must always be right to pray. And it must al... Read More

Our day began once again with a spiritual moment presented by the USA delegates. They told the stories of a number of Peace Workers who have been inspiring. Some are on their way to Beatification. Venerable Pierre Toussaint (1776-1853) a philanthropist and founder of many Catholic works. He was a born as a slave in Haiti. Venerable Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange (1784-1882) a native of the Caribbean... Read More

Deacon Justin Malawezi Jr, Senior Lecturer and Chaplain at Edge Hill University, Liverpool, was keynote speaker at the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ) Annual General Meeting, held at St Thomas More church in Manor House north London, on Saturday. The day began with Yogi Sutton, Chair, outlined the current situation with CARJ. A serious reduction in funds led to having to make their ... Read More

We began our day with a Spirituality input lead by the Asian/Pacific delegates. We praised the Lord in Tagalog, the Philippino language, and individual prayers of intercession. Session four focussed on disarmament and integral human evaluation. The Speakers were: Jonathan Frierchs, PCI UN Representative, Geneva; Dr Richard Bosch, Pax Christi, Stuttgart; Sr Filo Hirota, Justice and Peace, Japan's ... Read More

Building Bridges for Tomorrow: Our first full day (Thursday 6th November " began with the Spirituality moment led by the African delegates. The group let us in a dance a song, a poem and a prayer, thanking God for his goodness to us all. SESSION 1: CONNECTING THE THREADS - Nonviolent Lives, Nonviolent Church, Nonviolent World. Our Speakers were: Marie Dennis, Catholic Institute for Nonviolence ... Read More

With the devastating news that human society has failed to limit global warming to 1.5C, Church groups are hoping for an urgent and constructive dialogue at the annual UN Climate Conference COP30 in Brazil. Running 10-21 November, it aims to save the future of our planet and the people that catastrophic consequences of the climate emergency will affect - and are already affecting. The people of th... Read More

As the UNFCC COP30 convenes in Belém, Brazil, we, Columban Missionaries, renew our commitment to climate justice rooted in Gospel values of nonviolence, dialogue, and respect for all life. We call on leaders to find courage and clarity needed to commit to an agreement that recognizes the fragility of this moment in Earth history. We stand in solidarity together with representatives from faith, ... Read More

Fr Joe Ryan writes: Pax Christi International Conference began in Florence, Italy, at 4pm on Wednesday with the basis theme: Building Bridges for Tomorrow. In fact, Pax Christi has been building bridges ever since it was founded in 1945 by Marthe Dortel-Clandot. It began as a campaign of prayer for Franco- German reconciliation. This original objective was enlarged and Pax Christi became 'a crusad... Read More