CARING FOR OUR COMMON HOME
By Fr Roberto Jaramillo SJ,
Director of Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES), General Curia, Rome
COP30 is an opportunity we must not miss. For the first time, we are showcasing the global presence of the Society of Jesus – Jesuits and their institutions – in a single campaign called Jesuits for Climate Justice Campaign (JCJC).
We have identified two core axes: one that we call “heart advocacy” and the other “hard advocacy”.
The first relates to education, outreach, and raising awareness for the entire apostolic community about what this moment signifies and the opportunity that COP30 presents. It includes webinars, pedagogical materials for schools and colleges, podcasts, shared prayer and reflection guides, and ongoing updates about what is happening around the COP… all of this is considered, heartfelt advocacy and will continue after the event this November in Belém do Pará, Brazil, for COP30 is merely one station on the journey of Caring for our Common Home, the fourth Universal Apostolic Preference.
What we call hard advocacy focuses on four points: first, a global declaration launched last April, to which 705 people and works of the Society of Jesus have adhered (it is still open for endorsements), focusing on four fundamental calls:
- Concrete mechanisms to cancel the debt of the poorest countries;
- Strengthening and clarifying regulations for the loss and damage fund;
- Establishing clear goals for a fair energy transition;
- Developing a sovereign food system rooted in agro-ecological practices.
This statement is supported by a 9-10 page policy brief that explains and advocates for the conceptual and practical framework of these four demands. All this information, along with the Google Form to sign up for the declaration, can be found at www.ecojesuit.com or on the website of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat – www.sjesjesuits.global.
One positive aspect I want to highlight is that the JCJC Statement and the policy brief have also been endorsed by the Union of Superiors General (USG) and the International Union of Superiors General – UISG. These are the two main umbrella organisations for all religious congregations worldwide. Through the leaders of these congregations and orders, we hope to gain the support of a large group of religious figures and collaborators, thereby lending more weight to the requests and proposals for COP30.
The second important element of the hard advocacy involves the participation of six people, who attended a meeting last month in Bonn, Germany for SB62 (the subsidiary body preparing for the COP) and the ongoing work to revise the policy brief based on the political opportunities that have opened or appeared less viable in Germany. We expect to complete this review and re-launch the Global Statement and policy brief by July 15.
The third phase of hard advocacy – and the most important in this forum – involves what can be done in each country to influence the national positions (Nationally Determined Contributions) that need to be reviewed, expanded, or reformed by each nation’s part of the COP, and then re-presented as commitments at the November gathering. This is the stage on which we are focusing the most, and we would also like all universities, schools, parishes, social centers, formation houses, and other Jesuit mission partners to join.
Two national advocacy mechanisms are currently being considered. The first is an online platform that allows individuals to write (either personally or on behalf of an organisation), using a “model letter” to their government representatives and COP negotiators, urging them to include the key elements of the Global Statement in their national climate change plans and commitments. This mechanism will automatically send these letters to the relevant government officials and COP negotiators of the sender’s country.
The second significant and decisive moment during the period from July 15 to September must be led at the national level by an alliance of Jesuit organisations that can use their influence and advocacy capacity to convene influential people, including national negotiators, for a discussion to present the calls we are making and to determine the stance each nation will adopt at COP30.
The period leading up to September is the most critical for influencing, raising awareness, and advocating at the national level. We look forward to your interest and participation.
The fourth moment of hard advocacy takes place in Belém do Pará, where a significant delegation of Brazilian Jesuits and collaborators will be present, along with a small international delegation (about ten Jesuits and collaborators from Africa, India, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America). They will be in the Blue Zone of the Convention, where we aim to organise at least two roundtables in partnership with other organisations: one on critical minerals, finance, and energy transition, and the other on indigenous peoples worldwide (not only from the Amazon) and the pressing challenges of climate change.
The work has been extensive so far and will continue until after COP30, which takes place from November 10-21. Anyone interested in collaborating and participating in this process, or who needs more information, can contact us here or find details about COP30 at www.ecojesuit.com or www.sjesjesuits.global.
Read the original version of this story here on the Jesuits.Global website
Banner image: Mariola Grobelska, Unsplash.