Holy Communion?

FAITH + SCIENCE IN NEW UK/ITALIAN COLLABORATION FOR COP 26

A few days after confirming his intention to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in the UK in November and after a two-week absence due to colon surgery, Pope Francis used his return address on Sunday 18th July 2021, back at the window of the Palace overlooking Saint Peter's Square, to call for an "ecology of the heart", where in rest, contemplation and compassion we need to "return to the heart of things". An advocate "that everything and everyone are connected, the Pope has made 'creation care' a signature of his papacy, calling climate change "one of the most serious and worrying phenomena of our time". His 2015 Laudato Si' on 'Care for our Common Home' - has most recently inspired a new UK and Italian faith collaboration.

The UK may recently have lost to Italy in last week's final of the Euro 2020 football, but the UK and Italy have a proven track-record of working together to champion the need for urgent climate action globally and are official COP26 Presidency Partners with Italy hosting both the upcoming Pre-COP, the Youth COP and the G20. Last month, the Holy See also held a press conference to announce a further joint collaboration, by the UK and Italian Embassies, entitled 'Faith and Science: Towards COP 26', bringing together over 40 leaders from the world's major religions with 10 leading scientists to discuss the contributions faith and religion can make in protecting creation and combating climate change. The resulting conclusions will be shared on 4th October 2021 (St Francis Day and World Animal Day) when numerous faith leaders and scientists will lay out their vision to encourage national governments to increase their commitment and ambition in advance of COP 26 (1st-12th November 2021) whilst also inspiring individuals to take action.

Sally Axworthy, British Ambassador to the Holy See, said "We have a moral obligation to protect the planet and those most affected by the climate crisis in particular indigenous peoples, small-island developing states and the least developed countries. Faith leaders played a key role in building momentum for COP21 in 2015 e.g. Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si', Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World leaders, and declarations by different religious groups on climate change. We wondered whether faith leaders might make a similar contribution to COP26."

Ahead of the 4th October 2021 event, a series of virtual meetings have already been held at which scientists have shared their findings and expertise whilst faith leaders discussed their theology on the environment, actions they have already taken to contribute to reducing emissions, and their hopes for the future.

"There has been a remarkable convergence of views", said Sally. "All the faiths and belief systems see nature as sacred, and our duty as being to protect the environment. Many speakers have emphasised the interconnectedness of humans and nature, and that if we destroy nature, we destroy ourselves. The leaders have drawn on their own traditions to suggest solutions: that we moderate our desires, rethink our economic model to be within the bounds of what nature can sustain, and focus on support for those least responsible for but most affected by climate change. The dialogue with the scientists has been creative - facts and values coming together - or as one speaker put it, enlightened passion".

Albert Einstein once wrote, "All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree ..."