Last week saw Pope Benedict XVI addressing diplomats and ambassadors to the Vatican
during his annual "State of the World" address.
It was a sombre discourse but
certainly not lacking in hope and an eye for the future.
At the end of the
discourse the Pope sounded hopeful and positive as he urged respect for creation.
He mentioned climate change and environmental protection, and looked ahead to the
Rio Conference on Sustainable Development, witnessing his forcefull stance as regards
the protection of creation and the need to invest in environmental concerns. His
discourse came a the start of 2012, the year the United Nations has designated as
the "International Year of Sustainable Energy for All". Linda Bordoni spoke to
Dr. Peter Pavlovic, Study Secretary of Church & Society Commissiona and Secretary
of ECEN - the European Christian Environmental Network, an organisation that aims
is to share information, experiences in environmental work among widely varied Christian
traditions and to encourage a united witness in caring for God's creation. Dr.
Pavlovic explained that ECEN is closely linked to the ecumenical Conference of European
Churches and is its main working instrument for addressing the need for environmental
engagement and responding to climate change. Regarding the "International Year
of Sustainable Energy for All", dr. Pavlovic says it implies several consequences,:
"first of all energy is something that we all very much need, whether we are aware
of it or not, and the simple fact is: the consumption of energy is increasing" a fact
that is closely linked to climate change. So - he says "if we want to address climate
change, we have to take into concern what is happening in our energy consumption and
take stock of the fact that molre than 85% of our energy consumption is produced by
fossil sources which enormously contribute to climate change". Another aspect -
dr Pavlovic continues - "and this is very important for our perspective from a Christian
point of view is the use of energy: we very often not only use, but misuse energy"
and this is an an aspect ECEN would like to address. Dr. Pavlovic says it is fundamental
the message be received by the general public and because climate change cannot be
tackled - he says- without a change in the attitude and in the approach of the individual. listen
to the full interview...