“[A] true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” (Laudato Si’ 49).

Part V of Chapter One (“What Is Happening To Our Common Home”) of the Encyclical Laudato Si’ deals with “Global Inequality”. In paragraph 48 we learn how coupled the human and natural environments are: how “deterioration of the environment… affects the most vulnerable people on the planet”. Examples of overfishing, water pollution and rising sea levels are given. In paragraph 49 we ask whether we really consider the problems of the billions of the excluded as primary concerns, and not just a passing token thought or comment? Are we “far removed from the poor”? Paragraph 50 brings into focus the problem of consumerism and our “present model of distribution”, mentioning the vast quantity of food waste that occurs by way of example. Paragraph 51 discusses the inequality between countries, “particularly between the global north and south”. We note how the “warming caused by huge consumption on the part of some rich countries has repercussions on the poorest areas of the world, especially Africa, where a rise in temperature, together with drought, has proved devastating for farming.” Finally in paragraph 52 we observe that “developed countries ought to help pay this debt by significantly limiting their consumption of non-renewable energy and by assisting poorer countries to support policies and programmes of sustainable development”. In the work to deal with climate change, we must recognise that “there are differentiated responsibilities”.

So what options do we have as private citizens?

We can look for charities and other organisations that assist with sustainable development for some of the world’s poorest people.

We know that we need to transition away from fossil fuels. How can we help those excluded, who are often at greatest risk of the effects of climate change, leapfrog the fossil fuel era completely by supporting their sustainable development projects?

CAFOD (the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, part of Caritas International) is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and is inspired by Laudato Si’, finding great connection with Laudato Si’ 231 (“Love, overflowing with small gestures of mutual care, is also civic and political, and it makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world”). Visit https://cafod.org.uk/ (or https://www.sciaf.org.uk/ if reading this from Scotland or https://www.caritas.org/ if you are reading this from outside Great Britain)

More information on Aid to the Church in Need can be found here: https://acninternational.org/

To get more involved with caring for our common home visit https://laudatosimovement.org/