COMECE welcomes the ‘European Green Deal’ as presented yesterday Wednesday 11 December 2019, at the European Parliament by EU Commission’s President Ms. Ursula von der Leyen. “It is very important that Europe takes the lead in the care for our environment” – stated COMECE General Secretary, Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto.
“It is also desirable – continued Fr. Barrios Prieto – that the EU institutions go beyond the Green Deal, promoting a real ecological conversion towards a more sustainable society also for future generations, through a just transition that leaves nobody behind”.
(Credit: imago images/Xinhua)
The comment made by the COMECE General Secretary came while the European Parliament discussed the measures included in the European Green Deal proposed by Ms. Ursula von der Leyen to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent.
The proposal of the new President of the European Commission focuses on the fight against climate change and other environmental objectives in areas such as transport, energy, pollution, agriculture, circular economy and biodiversity.
On the impulse of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter “Laudato Si’” and in the context of the COMECE Autumn 2019 Assembly, EU Bishops devoted special attention to EU ecological policies, encouraging the European institutions to carry out policies that foster integral human development.
Following the recent Synod of the Bishops on Amazonia, the President of COMECE, H. Em. Card. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, together with other Catholic Church leaders from across all continents issued a callupon policy makers participating in COP25 for “immediate actions to be taken to tackle and overcome climate change”.