As world leaders prepare for COP30 in Belém, voices from the Church are uniting across continents to call for courage, solidarity, and justice in the face of the climate crisis. The Presidents of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Europe, gathered in Fatima (7-10 October), addressed a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Bishops urged the EU to reinforce its commitment to a just energy transition, to ensure that climate finance supports the most vulnerable regions, particularly in the Global South, to promote biodiversity restoration and protection of vital ecosystems like the Amazon and to integrate ethical and spiritual perspectives, such as those of Laudato si’, into policymaking. They called for an ‘ecological conversion’, a transformation in how we live, produce, and relate to the planet.
This appeal is in line with the rising voices of the Church like those of the Bishops from the Global South, who released a joint statement ahead of COP30, early in July: A Call for Climate Justice and the Common Home. They reminded the world that the Amazon, the Congo Basin, and other vital ecosystems are not merely “resources” but sacred spaces of life that sustain humanity. Their appeal urged the wealthier nations to honor their climate finance pledges, protect defenders of the environment, and place human dignity at the center of the ecological transition.
On November 4th, faith leaders from all religions in France came together to publish a joint statement. This declaration was read publicly in Lourdes, during the Plenary Assembly of the Bishops of France, a moment of great attention for the Catholic community and one that gathered national media coverage. In previous years, similar interfaith statements had gone almost unnoticed, quietly published online, without public attention. This year marks a turning point. The final text includes a clear call to phase out fossil fuels and to finance the ecological transition for all populations, echoing the recent appeals from bishops of the Global South. Around the same time, the Bishops’ Conference of Spain, together with more than thirty organizations, including Greenpeace and ECODES, issued a strong message to world leaders, describing the climate crisis as a “moral urgency” that demands radical and immediate action.
Yet, as these moral appeals rise, the decision by the EU Environment Ministers, agreed on November 5th, reveals a sobering contrast. After nearly 20 hours of negotiations, ministers agreed on a weakened 2040 climate target, a move environmental groups have described as “a disappointing outcome.” While the 90% emission reduction goal remains, only 85% will be achieved domestically, with the remaining 5% outsourced abroad through international carbon credits, a mechanism criticized for undermining Europe’s own decarbonisation.
Yet amid these mixed signals and concerns about backward steps, there is some welcome news. Alongside the 2040 decision, the European Union has also agreed on a 2035 emissions target, required for its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, to reduce EU emissions between 66.25% and 72.5% below 1990 levels. This ensures that Europe will not arrive at COP30 empty-handed.
To summarise the Laudato Si’ Movement’s position ahead of COP30, you can read our joint letter “A Faith-Based Appeal for Justice and Action: EU Climate Leadership at COP30,” signed together with members of the European Laudato Si’ Alliance (ELSiA), which calls for bold and compassionate EU leadership in Belém.