An International Conference entitled “Saving our Common Home and the Future of Life on Earth” is set to take place in the Vatican on 5 and 6 July.

Organized to coincide with the third anniversary of Pope Francis’ Encyclical “Laudato Sì”, the event will see the participation of Vatican Officials and climate change experts.

Launching the Conference on Tuesday morning in the Holy See Press Office, was Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

He told Vatican News the Conference intends to reiterate the urgent need for substantial changes in policy and lifestyle in order to safeguard Creation.

Cardinal Turkson explained that the aim of this conference is to awaken people to the gravity of the situation.

“We all know how the coral reefs are dying; we all know how whales are washed ashore their bellies full of plastic; how the temperature of the sea is rising so methane gas is being released from the ocean; we know the impact of everything happening: the ice caps melting, the sea levels rising, islands disappearing, the hurricanes becoming more and more violent – we know all of this” he said.
“What does it take – he continued - to decide to make a change?”  

 

Listen to the interview with Cardinal Turkson in full here https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-06/vatican-turkson-conference-laudato-si.html