Reflections on the Care of Creation

'As U.S. citizens, fellow human beings and Catholics, we cannot stand idle as our country contributes to the ecological destruction of our planet.'

Young people around the globe are struggling to tip the social scale towards swift and concerted climate action.

Because climate change is caused by humans, it is not just a scientific reality; it is also a moral and spiritual problem.

'We must acknowledge that we are in service to the future generations of all species and to the planet.'

By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans.

'It is likely that greenhouse warming will cause hurricanes in the coming century to be more intense'

'The gravity of the ecological crisis demands that we all look to the common good.'

'To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God.'

To feed the world sustainably, societies must overcome the 'use and throw away' mentality.

'Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God by their very existence, nor convey their message to us. We have no such right.'

To reduce global emissions, affluent city dwellers must consume less of the world's resources.

2 billion people lack access to safe water at home, and by 2025, half the global population may live in water-stressed regions.

What will it be like to live on an island or along a coast in a warming world?

Disappearance of coral reefs would be death knell for many marine species. How are people of faith called to respond?

Rapid warming of the Arctic is changing weather patterns around the globe, and rising sea levels could put hundreds of millions at risk.

Economic self-interest is unlikely to cause fossil fuel companies to act ethically, but moral outrage might — if it sparked "a real movement."

Oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would put Native peoples and wildlife at risk.

Although the oil company's scientists knew fossil fuels spurred climate change, its paid advertising focused on doubt and uncertainty.

Earth's human population and our fossil fuel use have grown exponentially in recent decades, making human-induced climate change especially urgent now.

Our world is aflame. Wildfires and heat waves are increasingly frequent reminders that our choices affect the planet. How do we respond?