The pontiff’s comments came in his message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on September 2 that the Vatican released on Wednesday.
“Injustice, violations of international law and the rights of peoples, grave inequalities and the greed that fuels them are causing deforestation, pollution and the loss of biodiversity,” the message read.
“Extreme natural phenomena driven by climate change caused by human activity are growing in intensity and frequency, to say nothing of the medium and long-term effects of the human and ecological devastation wrought by armed conflicts.
“As yet, we seem incapable of recognising that the destruction of nature does not affect everyone equally. When justice and peace are trampled underfoot, those who suffer most are the poor, the marginalised and the excluded.
“The suffering of Indigenous communities is emblematic in this regard.
“But that is not all. Nature itself is sometimes reduced to a bargaining chip - a commodity traded for economic or political gain.
“As a result, God’s creation is turning into a battleground for the control of vital resources.
“We see this in agricultural areas and forests littered with landmines, in ‘scorched earth’ tactics, in conflicts over water sources and in the unequal distribution of raw materials, which disadvantages poorer nations and undermines social stability itself.”
The pope said environmental justice was “implicitly proclaimed by the prophets” and could “no longer be regarded as an abstract concept or a distant goal”.
“It is an urgent need that involves much more than simply protecting the environment,” he said.
“For it is a matter of justice; social, economic and human.
“In a world where the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation and pollution, care for creation becomes an expression of our faith and our humanity.
“Now is the time to follow words with deeds.”
ANSA
