Religious leaders from all over the world gathered on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi at the Vatican to sign a text calling on governments to take urgent action to limit global warming.
The meeting came ahead of the Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held from October 31 to November 12 in Glasgow.
Aware of the unprecedented challenges threatening life on Earth, the 40 faith leaders are appealing to heads of governments meeting in Glasgow for the COP26 to act urgently and responsibly.
Pope Francis and other religious leaders signed a strong appeal emphasizing the perilous situation of our planet, calling for a paradigm shift that cares for the environment.
Climate advocates and representatives from the Philippines will be present at the COP26 pleading for urgent action to mitigate the destructive impact of climate change in the country.
The Philippine Islands is prone to extreme weather phenomena. Hit by an average of 20 typhoons per year, it was ranked the third most vulnerable country to climate change in 2019 in South East Asia.
A new report by Greenpeace East Asia claims that by 2030 Manila’s densely populated city will be submerged by flooding waters leading to the displacement of 1.54 million residents.
According to the study, the sea level has been rising at unprecedented levels over the past decade due to climate change caused by environmental degradation. The report says that Metro Manila is sinking by a rate of 10 cm annually which is caused by the over extraction of groundwater.
This impending hazard over the capital of the Philippines prompted Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, to speak out raising the alarm about the rising sea levels that are making Manila one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world.
“Attention coastal parishes in Navotas and Malabon…Let us please put the climate crisis among our top pastoral priorities for social action,” pleaded Bishop David on his Facebook page.
Parishioners, wrote Bishop David, have long felt the effects of floods and the rise of coastal water due to typhoons, yet many continue throwing garbage into the water. With the sinking of coastlines, the displacement of millions of people and loss of livelihoods, it is time to care for the environment.
While government is slow in its immediate response, citizens who live in the coastal areas threatened by flooding can act daily by refraining from throwing garbage into the water and saving tap water.
