International Earth Day 2020

"Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or, even less, is the property of only a few: Creation is a gift...a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude" (Pope Francis).

On Wednesday 22 April, the world will observe International Earth Day, which coincides with the Super Year of Biodiversity. While I believe that the greatest wealth of a nation are its people, if we are to survive and promote harmony with nature and the earth, we must remember our responsibility to care for and cultivate the earth.

2020 marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day which was launched in 1970. Its founder, US Senator, Gaylord Nelson, came up with the idea for a national day to focus on the environment "after he had witnessed the ravages of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969". He said: "The real wealth of a nation is its air, water, soil, forests, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity. Take this resource away, and all that is left is a wasteland."

The theme this year is "Climate action" - a day to focus on what strategies we can employ to "change human behaviour and provoke policy changes. Now, the fight for a clean environment continues with increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more and more apparent every day".

The UN states: "Mother Earth is clearly urging a call to action. Nature is suffering. Australian fires, heat records and the worst locust invasion in Kenya. Now we face COVID -19, a worldwide health pandemic linked to the health of our ecosystem. Climate change, man-made changes to nature as well as crimes that disrupt biodiversity, such as deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture and livestock production or the growing illegal wildlife trade, can increase contact and the transmission of infectious diseases from animals to humans... like COVID-19.

"From one new infectious disease that emerges in humans every four months, 75% of these emerging diseases come from animals, according to UN Environment. This shows the close relationships between human, animal and environmental health...we need a shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet...Despite ongoing efforts, biodiversity is deteriorating worldwide at rates unprecedented in human history. It is estimated that around one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction."

Care for creation is a key social justice principle. Read Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical on the environment, entitled: Laudato So, On care for our common home, in which he calls for conversion of hearts, minds and lifestyles if we are to save our planet. It is "a passionate call to all people of the world to take 'swift and unified global action', particularly in relation to the destruction of the environment. Pope Francis writes that while humanity has made incredible progress in science and technology, this has not been matched with moral, ethical and spiritual growth. This imbalance is causing our relationships with creation and with God to break down and our hearts to become hardened to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. We become arrogant and neglect creation and everyone that is part of it; forgetting what God has entrusted to our care.

In Trinidad and Tobago (TT) we continue to pollute our environment; we clog our drains and waterways, thus contributing to widespread flooding. We are blessed in TT with rich biodiversity, but we must do more to conserve it. Human beings are responsible to some extent to climate change and global warming. We must protect and promote authentic human development and environmental ecology which are inextricably linked. Years ago, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI told us: "Our earth speaks to us, and we must listen if we want to survive...we are all in the world not as owners, but as tenants and stewards."

Here are some things we can do to demonstrate our love for our earth:

1. Develop an environmental spirituality.

2. Assess our lifestyle and consumption. Practice these four 'Rs' for sustainable living: Reuse, recycle, reduce, restore.

3. Prevent pollution, reduce our carbon footprint, and become advocates for God's Creation.

4. Promote sound environmental management practices e.g. energy efficiency, water conservation, waste avoidance, composting, using environmentally responsible products, and car-pooling.

5. Enjoy nature and live in harmony with it.

Leela Ramdeen is Chair of the Catholic Commission for Social Justice in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, (CCSJ) and Director of CREDI

LINKS

Catholic Social Teaching - www.catholicsocialteaching.org

Earth Day - www.earthday.org

Pope Francis' Message for Earth Day - www.indcatholicnews.com/news/39421