Pastoral Orientations on Climate Displaced People
The climate crisis has a very human face. It is already a reality for multitudes of vulnerable people worldwide. The Catholic Church shows a warm pastoral care for those who have been displaced from their homes by its effects.
The Pastoral Orientations on Climate Displaced People explains the new challenges posed by the disturbing perilous phenomena of climate disruption in many parts of the globe and suggests appropriate pastoral responses.
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Pastoral Orientations on Climate Displaced People
Consultations
July – December 2020
Bishop Conferences’s representatives
AFRICA-FR
- Burkina Faso: S.E. Mgr. Justin Kietenga, Évêque de Ouahigouya;
- Cameroun: S.E. Mgr. Bruno Ateba S.A.C., Évêque de Maroua-Mokolo et Président de la Commission chargée des migrants;
- République Centrafricaine: P. Jules Soh S.J., secrétaire exécutif de la Commission Episcopale pour les Migrants et les Réfugiés (CEMIR);
- République Démocratique du Congo: S.E. Mgr. Fulgence Muteba, Évêque de Kilwa-Kasenga, Administrateur apostolique de Kamina.
AFRICA-EN
- Ethiopia: Fr. Teshome Fikre, Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat;
- Ethiopia: H.E. Msgr. Markos Gebremedhin C.M., Vicar Apostolic of Jimma-Bonga, Chairman of Migrants and Refugees Commission;
- Kenya: H.E. Msgr. Virgilio Pante I.M.C., Bishop of Maralal, Chairman of Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Seafarers;
- Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC): H.E. Msgr. Anton Sithembele Sipuka, Bishop of Umtata and President;
- Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC): H.E. Msgr. Buti Tlhagale, OMI, Archbishop of Johannesburg, Liaison Bishop for Migrants and Refugees;
- Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC): Sr. Maria de Lurdes Lodi Rissini MSCS, Caritas National Coordinator, Migrants and Refugees Office;
AFRICA-PT
- Angola (CEAST): D. Zeferino Zeca Martins, S.V.D., Arcebispo do Huambo e Presidente da CEPAMI;
- Angola: D. Gabriel Mbilingui, C.S.Sp, Arcebispo do Lubango e Presidente da Comissão Justiça e Paz;
- Angola: D. Dionísio Hisiilenapo, Bispo de Namibe.
- Conferência Episcopal de Moçambique (CEM): D. Claudio Dalla Zuanna, S.C.J., Arcebispo da Beira;
- Conferência Episcopal do Senegal, Mauritânia, Cabo Verde e Guiné-Bissau: D. Pedro Carlos Zilli, P.I.M.E., Bispo de Bafatá, Presidente da Comissão das Migrações
- Moçambique : D. António Juliasse F. Sandramo, Bispo Auxiliar da Arquidiocese de Maputo e Administrador Apostólico de Pemba;
- Moçambique: D. Ernesto Maguengue, Bispo Auxiliar de Nampula.
CENTRAL AND NORTH AMERICA-ES
- Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano (CELAM) y Conferencia Episcopal de Honduras (CEH): S.E. Mons. Guido Charbonneau – Obispo de Choluteca, Honduras
- Conferencia de Episcopado Mexicano (CEM) – S.E.Mons. Jaime Calderón La Dimensión Episcopal de Pastoral de Movilidad Humana de la Comisión Episcopal de Pastoral Social de CEM Obispo de Tapachula, México;
- Conferencia Episcopal de Costa Rica (CECOR): S.E. Mons. Daniel Fco Blanco Méndez – Caritas de Costa Rica, Obispo auxiliar de San José, Costa Rica
- Conferencia Episcopal del Episcopado Dominicano (CED): S.E. Mons. Faustino Burgos Brisman – Comisión para Migrantes; Obispo auxiliar de Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
- Costa Rica, P. Gustavo Meneses Castro – Observatorio Mesoamericano en Costa Rica;
- Costa Rica, Prof. Abelardo Morales Gamboa – Observatorio Mesoamericano en Costa Rica
- Guatemala, P. Juan Luis Carbajal, CS – Secretario Ejecutivo de la Pastoral de Movilidad Humana de CEG; Observatorio Mesoamericano en Guatemala
- México, P. César Augusto Cañaveral – Pastoral Social de Movilidad Humana de CEM México; Observatorio Mesoamericano en México
- Secretariado Episcopal de América Central y Panamá (SEDAC) y Conferencia Episcopal de Guatemala (CEG) S.E. Card. Álvaro Ramazzini Imeri – Ex. Presidente del SEDAC y de-La Pastoral de Movilidad Humana de CEG;
- Conferencia Episcopal de Guatemala (CEG): S.E.Mons. Domingo Buezo Leiva – Presidente, Obispo vicario apostólico de Izabal, Guatemala, Responsable de la pastoral de Movilidad Humana;
CENTRAL AND NORTH AMERICA-EN
- Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC): H.E. Archbishop Patrick Pinder, Commission on Migration of AEC, Archbishop of Nassau Bahamas
- Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) H.E. Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon; Vice President of AEC, Archbishop of Port of Spain-Trinidad and Tobago
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): H.E. Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, Chair of USCCB Commission on Migration; Auxiliary Bishop of Washington DC
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) William Canny, Director Migrant Refugee Services-USCCB; Washington DC
MIDDLE EAST
- Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA) : H.E. Bishop Paul Hinder, O.F.M. Cap.- Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia & Apostolic Administrator of Northern Arabia
OCEANIA
- Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO): H.E. Archbishop Christopher PROWSE – Delegate for Pastoral Care of M&R, Australia;
- Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBC PNGSI): Mr Jason SIWAT – Director, Desk for M&R
- Episcopal Conference of the Pacific (CEPAC): H.E. Bishop Paul DONOGHUE – President;
- Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO):H.E. Archbishop Peter LOY CHONG – President, Fiji;
- New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC) Ms Julianne HICKEY – Chief Executive, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand;
- New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC): Mr Martin DE JONG – Advocacy Advisor – Lead on climate, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand;
- New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC): Ms Joanna VIERNES – Advocacy Analyst – Lead on M&R, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand;
SOUTH AMERICA
- Chile: Sr. Lorenzo Figueroa L., Director Nacional de Pastoral Social Caritas
- Ecuador: S.E. Mons.Geovanni Paz; Obispo de Latacunga;
- Perú: S.E. Mons. Alfredo Vizcarra Mori, S.J., Obispo Vicario del Vicariato Apostólico de San Francisco Javier – Jaén;
SOUTH ASIA – EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
- Caritas Nepal: Fr. Lalit TUDU, Executive Director;
- Catholic Bishops’ Conference (PCBC): Mr. Amjad Gulzar, Executive Director of Caritas Pakistan;
- Cambodia: Most Rev. Msgr Enrique ‘Kike’ Figaredo sj;
- Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB): Fr. Liton Hubert Gomes GSC, Executive Secretary – Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace;
- Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI): Fr. Jaison Vaddassery, Executive Secretary of the Commission for Migrants;
- Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences: H.E. Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, SVD, Archbishop of Tokyo; Office of Human Development and Climate Change Desk (OHD/CCD) Bishop member;
- Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences: H.E. Bishop Allwyn D’Silva, Member;
- Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences: Fr. Joseph Gonsalves,Executive Secretary Office of Human Development and Climate Change Desk (OHD/CCD);
- Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences: Fr. William LaRousse, Assistant Secretary General;
- Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences: Ms. Deepika Singh, Office of Human Development and Climate Change Desk;
- Konferensi Waligereja Indonesia (JPIC): Ms. Maria Ratnaningsih;
- Myanmar: H.E. Bishop Francis Daw Tang;
- Thailand: Fr. John P. Murray, OSA
- Vietnam: H.E. Bishop Louis Nguyen Anh Tuan
WESTERN AND EASTERN EUROPE
- Consiglio delle Conferenze Episcopali d’Europa (CCEE): Fr Luis Okulik, Secretary of the Commission for Social Pastoral Care;
- Conférence des évêques de France: Fr Carlos Caetano, Directeur du Service National Mission et Migrations;
- Deutsche Bischofskonferenz: Ms Sanaz Khoilar, Referentin für Flüchtlingsfragen
- Jesuit Refugees Service Croatia: Fr Stanko Perica, Regional Director;
- Chiesa Greco-Cattolica Ucraina: Rev. D. Volodymyr Misterman, collaboratore Commissione “Ecologia e Creato”;
Catholic Organizations and Religious Congregations
- Caritas Internationalis: Olga Zhyvytsya, Advocacy Officer, Migration and Human Trafficking;
- CIDSE: Jonas Wipfler, Representative (Misereor);
- CIDSE: Andrea Stocchiero – Representative (Focsiv Policy Manager);
- Comunità Sant’Egidio – Dr. Cesare Giacomo Zucconi, Secretary General;
- Congregazione dei Missionari di San Carlo, Scalabriniani: Fr Graziano Battistella C.S., General Secretary;
- Dominicans for Justice and Peace: Sr Margaret Mayce, the Coordinator of Dominican Sisters International;
- Global Catholic Climate Movement, Tomàs Insua, Executive Director;
- Global Catholic Climate Movement, Cecilia Dall’Oglio, Associate Director of European Programs;
- International Catholic Migration Commission: Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo, Secretary General;
- Jesuit Refugees Service: Amaya Valcarcel, Advocacy Officer;
- Missionary Sisters of Saint Charles Borromeo – Scalabrinians; Sig.ra Silvana Leone, Project Coordinator;
- Salesians of Don Bosco – Marco Fulgaro;
- Salesians of Don Bosco – Fr George Mc Menamparampil S.D.B. ;
- Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta, H.E. Ambassador Giuseppe Morabito, Diplomatic Advisor
- UISG: Sr. Sheila Kinsey FCJM, Commissione intercongregazionale per questioni JPIC;
- USG/UISG – Fr. Amado L. Picardal CSsR, Executive Co-Secretary, JPIC Commission;
- World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO): María Lía Zervino,President;
Holy See
- Pont. Academy of Sciences: H.E. Msgr Marcelo Sánchez, Chancellor;
- Pont. Academy of Sciences: Ms Gabriella Clare Marino, Program & Event Manager.
UNHCR / S. Rich / April 2013
Climate crisis and displaced persons
As Pope Francis declares, “we are in the midst of an emergency”. The continuing climate crisis threatens people’s fundamental rights, and displacement caused by climate change is increasing.
It displaced 24.9 million people in 2019,* and floods, landslides, fires, droughts, and hurricanes will cause further displacement in the future. By 2050, an estimated 250 million people will be affected by forced displacement, and the most vulnerable groups in society will continue to suffer the most.
*IDMC, Global Report on Internal Displacement 2020
Five points about climate migration
Climate displaced persons are not legally considered refugees under international refugee law.
Climate displaced persons are people who must leave their homes due to climate stressors.
The most vulnerable are likely to experience more pressure than others to migrate.
No one knows how many people will be climate displaced.
Climate migration affects all of Earth's inhabitants.
Source: United Nations University: Institute for Environment and Human Security.
Climate crisis
The climate crisis is not an abstract future threat. Warming of merely 1.5°C would cause global sea levels to rise by 0.77 metres by 2100, threatening cities and crop and pasture land around the world.
Projections based on current data predict a global temperature increase of 3-4°C by 2100.
Therefore, it is imperative to change course and work to limit global warming through low-carbon changes in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport and cities; and by promoting renewable energy, green energy, restoring and expanding forests, sustainable agriculture, and stopping deforestation and the degradation of ecosystems.
There is still time. Together, we can!
Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods…
…It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day.
Every one of us can still do something:
Don’t waste water and electricity.
Use a bicycle or take public transit.
If you have to buy a car, consider vehicles that meet the latest emissions standards.
If you have to buy household appliances, consider those that consume less energy.
Consider installing a solar thermal or photovoltaic system.
Educate yourself and your friends and acquaintances about the harmful effects of our current “lifestyles and models of production and consumption”.
Source: Pope Francis, Laudato Si: On care for our common home