ASIA - Ten Years of "Laudato Si'": Bishops call for action against "ecological debt" and "ecological conversion"

Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) - The upcoming tenth anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis's encyclical "Laudato Si'" on Care for Our Common Home coincides with the Jubilee Year of Hope: therefore, the pastoral letter published by the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) at the end of its recent plenary assembly in March 2025, addressed to the local Churches in Asia, calls for "ecological conversion" and includes a concrete request for debt relief at the international level. Indeed, there is an "ecological debt" of industrialized countries, or countries of the Global North, towards countries of the Global South regarding the exploitation of natural resources, which contributes to both environmental degradation and the lack of essential social services for development, such as education and health.
The document, signed by Indian Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, President of the FABC, Philippine Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Vice President, and Japanese Cardinal Isao Kikuchi, SVD, Secretary General of the Federation, recalls in detail the main problems of the "common home" that are widespread in Asian countries: deforestation and loss of biodiversity, rising sea levels and the displacement of coastal populations, water insecurity, air pollution and health consequences for the population, more intense and frequent extreme weather events, agricultural crises, and food insecurity.
But the pastoral Letter also cites "signs of hope" and recognizes the action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Asian churches in attitudes such as: the resilience of local communities and indigenous peoples; the flourishing of ministries and the spread of training courses on themes from the encyclical "Laudato Si'"; the growing active participation of young people; and collaboration between religious congregations and with civil society in the common defense of our common home; the inclusion of the care of creation in the Church's mission; and the commitment of communities in the Holy Year, with the care of creation among its main themes.
In the pastoral Letter, published ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference COP 30, which will take place in November this year, the Asian bishops outline concrete actions to address the ecological crisis: supporting stronger commitments to close the gap between national climate targets and the global goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius; demanding more funding from governments to help populations adapt to climate change; lobbying for national and international legislation to protect our "common home"; and promoting a debt cancellation campaign during the Holy Year, taking into account the extent of existing "ecological debt" recognized by scientists, in order to promote "economic justice" and change unjust structures that limit sustainable development in the Global South.
The FABC encourages local churches in Asia to participate in the preparatory phase of COP 30, which will take place in Belém, Brazil, in the fall of 2025. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the publication of the encyclical "Laudato Si" and the Jubilee Year of Hope, the FABC invites local churches to give special importance to the "Season of Creation," which runs from September 1 to October 4, 2025, by engaging parishes in ecological responsibility, promoting a simpler and more sustainable lifestyle, and fostering a spirituality that deepens humanity's relationship with God, with our fellow human beings, and with creation.
"Let this Lenten season be an opportunity to examine our consciences and humbly acknowledge our sins against God's creation. It should give us an opportunity to respond to God's call to ecological conversion," the Letter concludes. Caring for our common home, it is recalled, requires "simple daily gestures in which we break the logic of violence, exploitation, and selfishness" and is manifested "in every action that seeks to build a better world." (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 21/3/2025)

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