In advance of the meeting, Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, released the following statement:

“We pray for all leaders and participants of COP28 as they work to care for our climate. As Pope Francis emphasized in Laudate Deum, the climate crisis is an opportunity to reconfigure international relations toward the common good, ‘demonstrat[ing] the nobility of politics,’ where, as brothers and sisters all, we can achieve ‘a decisive acceleration of energy transition’ (nos. 60, 54).

“Despite the tremendous growth of renewable energy worldwide, the global economic system remains largely powered by fossil fuels. Decarbonization of the economy—through the replacement of fossil fuels with secure, reliable, affordable, and clean energy—is the preeminent environmental challenge faced by all nations. While we are encouraged by recent decarbonization efforts in the United States, supported by the USCCB, to direct historic investment towards climate infrastructure and technological development, this tremendous challenge cannot be achieved alone through the efforts of individual persons or even nations and will require long-term cooperation by all. 

“No government will be successful in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the long run if it requires a significant increase of the energy costs of middle- and low-income citizens. In other words, climate goals must represent both the ‘cry of the earth’ and the ‘cry of the poor,’ and include the financial support by developed nations for adaptation, resilience, and recovery of the most vulnerable. Justice for the poor, including the 3.3 billion people worldwide with limited energy and 700 million without any electricity, constitutes an essential test of ethical climate policy.”

Previous USCCB advocacy related to the Paris Agreement can be found at the following links:

• USCCB Welcomes New Exhortation on the Environment  (October 4, 2023)

• Comment on Four Proposed EPA Emissions Regulations (June 30, 2023)

• Coalition Letter to EPA Administrator with Comments on Proposed Methane Pollution Standard (February 13, 2023)

• Letter to Congress on Reconciliation (June 8, 2022)

• Letter to Congress on Inflation Reduction Act (August 1, 2022)

• Catholic Leaders Call for Global Discernment and Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis at COP26 (October 31, 2021)

• Letter to Congress on Federal Budget Reconciliation (September 7, 2021)

• U.S. Bishop Chairmen Express Support for Commitments at Leaders Summit on Climate (April 26, 2021)

• Letter to Congress Concerning Legislation on Infrastructure (April 22, 2021)

• Catholic Leaders Express Hope with President’s Announcement that U.S. Will Rejoin the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (January 21, 2021)

• Summary of Activities of the U.S. Church in Response to Laudato Si’ (June 18, 2020)