The Diocese of San Carlos has declared a climate emergency and plans to create a climate emergency plan in line with this year’s celebration of the encyclical “Laudato Si” with the theme “Hope for the Earth. Hope for Humanity.”
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, in a pastoral letter during the Laudato Si week held May 21 to 28, said that they acknowledge the urgency to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change and this declaration is a commitment of the Diocese to take immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The pastoral letter contained the six steps that the Diocese will take in contributing to the deceleration of global warming.
These steps are the establishment of “Lunhaw Ecology Ministry” in all the jurisdictions of the diocese, the development of a climate emergency plan within the next months to help in the reduction of carbon emissions, the promotion of “Sapat Lifestyle” practices in the aspects of waste reduction, energy conservation, and sustainable transportation;
Advocating for policy reforms to address prevalent environmental issues, committing to continuous improvement, and collaborating with other organizations to campaign for a balanced ecology, and urge the government to make similar commitments.
“As the duty-bearers to these obligations and rights, the Philippine government has the primary responsibility, with the most resources and in the best position to protect the Filipinos and our environment against the impact of climate change,” Alminaza said.
The bishop also urged the stakeholders to go beyond the minimum of climate talks and monitoring targets and uphold climate justice by “halting profit-driven, ecologically-destructive projects, and empowering our communities the self-determination for climate change adaptation.”
Alminaza said “it is time to recognize the interconnectedness of all creation and it is our responsibility to acknowledge our nature’s intrinsic rights to thrive, restore, and protect itself from the system that put in the state of climate emergency”.*