Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Archbishop of Canterbury have joined together for the first time in an urgent appeal for the future of the planet.
The leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion have jointly warned of the urgency of environmental sustainability, its impact on poverty, and the importance of global cooperation.
In a joint statement, the Christian leaders have called on people to pray, in this Christian Season of Creation, for world leaders ahead of COP26 this November.
The statement says: “We call on everyone, whatever their belief or worldview, to endeavour to listen to the cry of the earth and of people who are poor, examining their behaviour and pledging meaningful sacrifices for the sake of the earth which God has given us.”
The joint declaration contains a clear warning: “Today, we are paying the price…Tomorrow could be worse” and concludes that: “This is a critical moment. Our children’s future and the future of our common home depend on it.”
The three Christian leaders speak against injustice and inequality, saying: “We stand before a harsh justice: biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and climate change are the inevitable consequences of our actions, since we have greedily consumed more of the earth’s resources than the planet can endure.
“But we also face a profound injustice: the people bearing the most catastrophic consequences of these abuses are the poorest on the planet and have been the least responsible for causing them.”
The statement calls on people to pray for world leaders ahead of COP26. for individuals to make meaningful sacrifices for the sake of the planet, working together and taking responsibility for how we use our resources, and for those with far-reaching responsibilities to choose people-centred profits and lead the transition to just and sustainable economies.
The full statement can be read here.