EarthBeat

Recent Stories

Sign up for EarthBeat Weekly newsletter

Make your inbox more interesting! View all newsletters

About EarthBeat

The climate is changing,
a matter of moral urgency.

How Catholics and other faith groups speak out and take action. Where ecological concerns and moral conviction meet, well that's our beat.

Read more about us

Sections

Pope Francis arrives for a meeting with the rectors of public and private universities from Latin America and the Caribbean at the Vatican Sept. 21, 2023. Responding to questions, the pope said his new document on the environment would be called "Laudate Deum" (Praise God). (CNS/Vatican Media)
Faith

Pope says his new ecology document is titled 'Laudate Deum'

Pope Francis said the title of his new letter on the environment will be "Laudate Deum," (Praise God), a frequent refrain in several psalms, including Psalm 148, which tells the heavens and the angels and the sun and moon to praise the Lord.

Smoke and flames rise in Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui Aug. 8, 2023 in this still image from video obtained from social media. (OSV News/Reuters/TMX/Jeff Melichar)
Science

Catholics appeal for help as Biden declares Maui's deadly fires a federal emergency

Maui County officials confirmed late Aug. 9 that at least 36 people have died and dozens more were injured; by the evening of Aug. 10, the death toll had risen to at least 53, according to Hawaii Gov. Josh Green. About 11,000 others have evacuated as wildfires burned the historic town of Lahaina "to the ground," as numerous news outlets reported. More than 271 structures were damaged or destroyed.

The Walker Slough, an offshoot of the San Joaquin River, is seen running alongside Van Buskirk Park in Stockton, Calif., Jan 26, 2023. Environmental groups hope the former municipal golf course will be converted into a restored floodplain. (OSV News/Reuters/Nathan Frandino)
Politics

New American Climate Corps aims to boost clean energy, jobs for young people

The Biden administration has made a bid to support both clean energy and jobs for young people with the creation of the American Climate Corps. The announcement was greeted with "excitement and hope" by Kayla Jacobs, program manager of youth mobilization at Catholic Climate Covenant. "Initiatives like this are one of many steps that are needed for a sustainable and just future," she said.

Activists mark the start of Climate Week in New York City Sept. 17, 2023, during a demonstration calling for the U.S. government to take action toward ending fossil fuel use in order to reduce the impact of global climate change. (OSV News Photo/Eduardo Munoz, Reuters)
Justice

Catholic groups join sea of protesters in New York march against fossil fuels

In what is thought to have been the largest climate change rally since 2019, an estimated crowd of as many as 75,000 demonstrators from some 700 organizations and activist groups paraded through the streets of New York City Sept. 17 in the "March to End Fossil Fuels."

France tests a nuclear weapon in French Polynesia on July 3, 1970. (Flickr/The Official CTBTO Photostream)

Anti-nuclear movement is international, intergenerational, more urgent than ever

In 1972, my Australian students protested French nuclear testing. In 2023, young people again may be able to stir up action to pressure an end to nuclear madness that endangers people and planet.

Submit your Small Earth story
Read more

Feature Series

Laudato Si' Action Platform

The Laudato Si' Action Platform is a multi-year effort supported by the Vatican that aims to move the church toward better embracing and acting upon Catholic social teaching on care for creation and integral ecology.

READ ALL ARTICLES

Recipes for an ecofriendly Lent

EarthBeat is cooking up "Recipes for an eco-friendly Lent." Elizabeth Varga of the blog "At Elizabeth's Table" shares plant-based recipes that are perfect for Catholics abstaining from meat on Fridays ... or any day of the year.

READ ALL ARTICLES

Small Earth Stories

In 100-500 words, readers share specific ways they're living simply, resisting throwaway culture or responding to climate change in day-to-day life. Want to chime in? Submit your story to environment editor Stephanie Clary at sclary@ncronline.org.

 

 

READ ALL ARTICLES

Burning Questions logo Burning Questions

protest

What is loss and damage?

One of the key points being debated at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt is loss and damage from the impacts of climate change. The latest EarthBeat "Burning Question" explores what it is, what you should know and what the Catholic Church has said about it.

São Paulo Zoo, Brazil (Wikimedia Commons/Mike Peel, www.mikepeel.net)

Why is Francis of Assisi the patron saint of ecology?

Brian Roewe

What is the Season of Creation?

Brian Roewe

What does the Democrats' climate plan have to say about environmental justice?

Jesse Remedios

Upcoming Events

Advertisement

1x per dayDaily Newsletters
1x per weekWeekly Newsletters
1x per quarterQuarterly Newsletters