Asian Bishops to set up Climate Change Agency

October 25, 2011: Delegates of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC) meeting in Bangkok have agreed to establish an agency to promote initiatives to combat climate change within local Churches across Asia.Some 55 delegates representing nearly all the bishops’ conferences across Asia met in Bangkok from October 19-20. Also in attendance were scientists and climate change experts invited to address current research on the causes and effects of global climate change. The proposed agency would promote “initiatives at the FABC level and [assist] initiatives by local churches for climate protection,” according to a statement issued by the FABC.
The proposal would also establish “practical and effective linkage with” episcopal conferences in Africa, Europe, Oceania, Latin America, the United States and Canada, “as well as UN conferences in order to address the global challenge of climate change.” Furthermore, the agency would do “theological reflection on the mystery and truth of God’s creation, on our moral and ethical responsibility with regard to the environment,” according to the statement signed by FABC secretary general Archbishop Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato and Father Josef Sayer, president of Misereor, which sponsored the event.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai said it is imperative that the Asian Church be involved in tackling climate change. “There’s no getting out of this. The future looks frightening, and we as a Church have to take a stand.”