Card Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, addressed the COP21* summit in Paris on climate change on Monday, emphasising the need for an agreement with a “clear ethical imperative to act in a context of global solidarity” so as to steer public authorities and private institutions "towards a low-carbon economy and full human development” with “processes to revise commitments and conduct transparent, effective and dynamic follow-ups, so as to increase progressively the level of ambition, and guarantee suitable control.”
Speaking before the world forum, the cardinal cited the Holy Father's address to the United Nations Office in Nairobi on 26 November, in which the pope referenced to COP-21 several times and expressed “hope that COP21 will achieve a global and ‘transformational’ agreement based on the principles of solidarity, justice, equality and participation; an agreement which targets three complex and interdependent goals: lessening the impact of climate change, fighting poverty and ensuring respect for human dignity. [. . .] It would be sad, and I dare say even catastrophic, were particular interests to prevail over the common good and lead to manipulating information in order to protect their own plans and projects.”
For Card Parolin, a global and transformational agreement should be based on three pillars. “The first consists in the adoption of a clear ethical orientation, inspiring the motivations and aims of the Agreement to be implemented.
Speaking before the world forum, the cardinal cited the Holy Father's address to the United Nations Office in Nairobi on 26 November, in which the pope referenced to COP-21 several times and expressed “hope that COP21 will achieve a global and ‘transformational’ agreement based on the principles of solidarity, justice, equality and participation; an agreement which targets three complex and interdependent goals: lessening the impact of climate change, fighting poverty and ensuring respect for human dignity. [. . .] It would be sad, and I dare say even catastrophic, were particular interests to prevail over the common good and lead to manipulating information in order to protect their own plans and projects.”
For Card Parolin, a global and transformational agreement should be based on three pillars. “The first consists in the adoption of a clear ethical orientation, inspiring the motivations and aims of the Agreement to be implemented.
