Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
Psalm 104:30 
We are waking up to the cost of human activity on the earth. Overuse of resources, pollution of the natural environment and the growing effects of climate change are changing the face of the earth. We are seeing the death of life in the extinction of species on a scale not previously experienced by humanity.
Catholic social teaching on the environment
Catholic social teaching on the environment is concerned with the wellbeing of both the planet and its people. It is about finding ways to live that sustain human life and that of all living creatures without plundering the natural environment and destroying what we need to survive.
Popes over the past 30 years have expressed increasingly strong messages of care for the environment. For example, Pope Paul VI spoke in 1972 about the need to adapt our lifestyles to reduce the effect both on nature and on people. More recently, Pope John Paul II called for “ecological conversion” of Catholics to respond to the urgent environmental challenges of pollution and degradation of the environment.
Poverty and the Environment
Environmental destruction has always harmed the poor more than the rich. The scale of today's problems means that actions that seem harmless to people in one part of the globe are bringing harm to people they have never met in another part of the globe.
Caritas has been drawn into considering environmental issues through the suffering of people: through disasters resulting from environmental degradation, through increasing hardship as traditional food and water sources disappear, and through devastation of homes and livelihoods through pollution and industrial activities.
The issues have been put firmly on the agenda by the experience in particular of our partners in the Pacific, our immediate neighbours. Their message is like that of an Old Testament prophet sent to warn that if we do not change our ways we face destruction.
Climate change scientists also tell us that next twenty years will decide the future of humanity. Like those warned by the prophets, it is not too late. The situation requires repentance, change of heart and change of lifestyle, not just on a personal scale but on a global scale.
What should we do?
“In facing climate change, what we already know requires a response.”
United States Bishops Conference, 2001
We need to bring our spiritual and moral attention to the environmental problems that we are facing, because our society needs to generate the political will needed to make hard decisions.
Be part of the solution!
Get informed – explore the Resources and Links below.
Conduct an Environmental Audit of your parish, school or church agency to find out how your environmental practices can be improved.
Resources
Renew the face of the Earth (Social Justice Week 2006)
Catholic social teaching on the environment 
Microsoft PowerPoint - Catholic social teaching on the environment.pdf (336.54 KB)
Renew the face of the earth: Environmental Justice Social Justice week booklet 2006 - Renew the face of the earth.pdf (1.22 MB)
New Zealand Catholic Bishops statement on Environmental Justice 
Bishops statement on environmental justice.doc (73.50 KB)
It's Our Earth Too: Environmental justice and climate change, a resource for youth group and tertiary chaplaincies Youth Resource.pdf (255.80 KB)
It's Our Earth Too: A slideshow on climate change Climate change slideshow.pdf (877.45 KB)
Living Lightly on the Earth: Christian stewardship of the environment, CIIR Faith Reflection by Fr Sean McDonough
Land and Environment (Social Justice Week 2007)
Booklet: Founded on Rock: Putting into practice Catholic teaching on land and environment – 
Founded on Rock.pdf (936.06 KB).
Discussion/reflection material for use by groups or for personal reflection Social Justice Week discussion-reflection material.pdf (459.56 KB)
Liturgical resources for parish groups 
Liturgy.doc (59.50 KB)
Powerpoint introduction to the 2007 Youth Resource: 
Justice for Land and Environment (3.45 MB)
Resource booklet for youth groups and tertiary chaplaincies: SJW2007 Youth Resource.doc (5.15 MB)
Schools Resources:
Visit our Primary Schools and Secondary Schools Social Justice pages.
Posters and prayer cards are also available from the Caritas office.
Useful Links
Caritas Internationalis Climate Change activities
Catholic Earthcare Australia - the ecological agency established by the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference.
Faithful Stewards of God's Creation: A Catholic Resource for Environmental Justice - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
UNEP Climate Change - United Nations Environment Programme portal on climate change.
Live simply - UK project based on the idea that God calls us to live simply.
Four Million Careful Owners - Ministry for the Environment site on environmental issues.