A Ukrainian Catholic Witness for Creation at COP30`

This statement was issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30). It was written by Archbishop Borys Gudziak, head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in America, along with Bishop A. Elias Zaidan and Catholic Relief Services President and CEO Sean Callahan. The St. Mary of Egypt Social Justice Fellowship reads this through a distinctly Ukrainian Catholic experience—shaped by generations of environmental destruction under foreign domination and war—and the Church’s ongoing ecological witness, including the work of the Eco Bureau of the UGCC. It is republished here as a sign of prayerful solidarity with the poor, the wounded land, and the hope entrusted to future generations.

This year’s COP30 convenes while the Catholic Church celebrates the Jubilee Year of Hope. Pope Leo XIV called for the participants of COP30 to ‘listen to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor, families, indigenous peoples, involuntary migrants and believers throughout the world.’ This jubilee year is a sacred opportunity to restore relationships and renew creation at a time when the gift of life is under grave threat.

Climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation are devastating communities already burdened by poverty and exclusion. Farming and fishing families confront threats to their livelihoods; Indigenous Peoples face destruction of their ancestral lands; children’s health, safety, and futures are at risk. Failing to steward God’s creation, ignores our responsibility as one human family.

A decade ago, in Laudato si’, Pope Francis reminded us that the climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all, and that intergenerational solidarity is not optional.  We call on world leaders to act urgently and courageously for an ambitious Paris Agreement implementation that protects God’s creation and people. As all of us are impacted, so must we all be responsible for addressing this global challenge. 

At COP30, countries, along with civil society organizations and corporations, should recommit to implementation that: invests in adaptation efforts to create resilience and foster economic opportunities; commits to bold mitigation efforts that reduce climate warming emissions; pledges loss and damage financing that guarantees priority and direct access to vulnerable affected communities; ensures a just transition to a sustainable economy centered on workers, communities and creation; and makes financing for climate solutions, including debt relief, timely and transparent while at the same time upholding human dignity. Together, these actions can work towards integral ecology and ‘give priority to the poor and marginalized in the process.’

We offer our prayers of support and solidarity and pledge to work collaboratively to safeguard the future of our common home.