Doha: Catholic organizations push for fairer climate deal

(Vatican Radio) Some 17,000 participants are attending the latest round of UN climate talks starting on Monday in Qatar's capital, Doha.

Over the next two weeks they will be negotiating a new global deal on climate, but there are ongoing tensions between rich and poor countries.

One of the main issues on the negotiating table refers to carbon dioxide emissions and the need to reduce CO2.

There is a growing sense among developing nations that richer countries are not aiming high enough in cutting carbon.

A financial fund to help poorer countries runs out at the end of this year, as does the first commitment period of Kyoto Protocol that legally binds around 30 richer countries to cutting carbon emissions.

As always, participating in the summit are representatives of faith-based development networks.

Amongst them, a delegation from CIDSE, the International Alliance of Catholic Development Agencies.

Vatican Radio’s Linda Bordoni spoke to CIDSE Secretary General, Bernd Nilles, who says that in order to pave the way towards a fair, effective and binding new climate deal in 2015, Doha must deliver serious commitments and concrete progress.

Listen to the interview…

This Summit in Doha – explains Nilles – “is particularly important, even if quite technical, to really prepare a new global agreement in 2015. Governments are coming together to negotiate details,” and Nilles says, “CIDSE hopes to get results on emission cuts and on money”.

Nilles explains that a new World Bank report shows that we are on our way to a +4 degrees Celsius increase in global warming and that we need deeper emission cuts and sustainable low carbon economies. We also need financial support to protect the most vulnerable people who already suffering increasingly extreme weather.

These meetings come and go year after year but Nilles says he is still optimistic and that he does see progress. We have more and more understanding – he explains – of the importance of climate change in emerging countries. The more countries and societies take over the Western lifestyle and economic system, the more it becomes evident on a global scale that this process “is not working”. So, he says, we have two main things to do: in the old economies, in traditionally industrialised countries we have to change our economies, lifestyles and consumption taking the lead. Secondly the new economies in the world have to make commitments at the negotiating table as well.

Nilles explains that CIDSE and other faith-based organizations have a lot to say at these summits as well as considerable influence, because they have evidence and knowledge and can really make the voice of small communities heard. He says that not only these organizations bring knowledge, they also bring people who experience the effects of climate change first hand, and they organize side-events where negotiators can learn about solutions. Also they coordinate their efforts and report back to all their members, and they can create pressure on the national governments.

This creates real pressure – he says – because governments know how much support for example Catholic organizations have in local communities, in the parishes etc.

Nilles also speaks of the importance of Pope Benedict XVIth’s appeals to care for creation.