Global South Bishops Unite in Climate Justice Appeal Ahead of COP30

Catholic bishops from Asia, Africa, and Latin America have jointly issued a powerful appeal urging global leaders to take bold and just action against climate change ahead of the COP30 UN summit in Brazil. The 34-page document, endorsed by Pope Leo XIV, condemns 'false solutions' such as green capitalism, carbon offset schemes, and continued reliance on fossil fuels, which perpetuate exploitation and injustice, particularly harming the Global South. The bishops emphasize the climate crisis as an existential issue of justice, dignity, and care for the common home and call for a shift from consumerism to generosity and solidarity with vulnerable communities. They demand transformative action based on human dignity and social justice, insisting that ecological conversion is essential to achieve climate justice. The appeal also highlights the failure of industrialized nations to meet climate targets and asserts the Church's commitment to remain vocal and proactive alongside science and civil society. This unprecedented united stance from bishops representing over 800 million Catholics reinforces a moral imperative to prioritize the common good and resist solutions that place profit over life.