WASHINGTON— In a letter to members
of Congress today, Bishop Frank J. Dewane and Bishop Oscar Cantú urge the
United States to support international climate assistance during the year-end
appropriations process. The bishops request that Congress dedicate $10 million
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the
international body that guides climate policy.

The letter
appeals to the responsibility to care for the common good and affirms that the
“blessings of God’s creation and the duty to care for the
common good overflow beyond our borders, especially when it comes to the air
and climate shared with all peoples and creatures living on the planet.”

The UNFCCC
facilitates international cooperation on climate change through initiatives
such as the annual U.N. Climate Change Conference, which is currently taking
place in Bonn, Germany. Two years ago, this conference resulted in the Paris
Climate Agreement, from which the United States intends to withdraw. The U.S.
bishops have expressed disappointment about the decision to not uphold this
agreement that is based on unified global action against climate change.

“Restricting
funding to the UNFCCC will only weaken the ability of the United States to
dialogue in the international arena using a common language based on the best
science available,” said Bishops Dewane and Cantú.

“By supporting the UNFCCC, the
United States can direct attention and resources towards adaptation measures
that help all people, especially the poor, adapt to the effects of climate
change globally,” continued the bishops. “By doing so, our nation can better
pursue the national interest, support credible climate research and promote the
common good within and beyond our borders.”

Bishop Dewane of Venice, Florida, is chairman of the
Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. Bishop Cantú of Las Cruces
is chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the USCCB.

The full text of the letter can be
found here: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/environment/upload/UNFCCC-letter-2017-11-10.pdf.

—
Keywords: Bishop Oscar Cantú, Las Cruces, New Mexico,
Bishop Frank Dewane, Venice, Florida, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human
Development, Committee on International Justice and Peace, Pope Francis, USCCB,
U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, climate change, creation,
environment, Environmental Justice Program, Laudato si’.

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Media Contact:
Judy Keane
202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops