The climate

Where will the climate refugees go?


The ability to mobilise the population to become involved in advocacy activities is one of the characteristics of Anglo-Saxon organisations. Such is the case of SCIAF, the Scottish Caritas organisation, a small entity with 25 employees that is 100% focused on development issues in the South and has in its team someone responsible for advocacy and someone responsible for campaigns.

With regard to climate change, in 2008, SCIAF launched an appeal to all citizens urging them to write letters to their parliamentary representatives, based on a suggested draft that was widely distributed by mail and published on the internet:


“Climate change is arriving and it is causing disproportionate suffering to the poorest and most vulnerable inhabitants of our planet, while it is they who are the least responsible for this.


The bill relating to climate change is a good thing as is Scotland’s commitment to taking up the challenge.

I urge you to support the incorporation of the following elements:

1. Define the appropriate goals:

2. Establish transparency and responsibility mechanisms. Publish an annual CO2 budget and make someone responsible for implementing it.

3. Establish honest and sustainable strategies for reducing emissions that will participate in sustainable development and will not have harmful social or ecological effects on developing countries.


Scotland can and must do its utmost to prevent any climate change that undermines all progress towards the elimination of poverty. We would appreciate it if you would lend your support to a progressive law.

I look forward to receiving your comments and reiterate my hopes for a world without poverty.”


.... And it works. This type of campaign has visible results. For example, this was how Tony Blair’s government gradually came around to taking action on debt cancellation at the end of the twentieth century.


The pedagogical work of Caritas involves concrete action mobilising young people, such as the project in Estonia where an awareness of ecological issues is being developed through the renovation in the north-east of a building destined to house a youth centre, involving the extensive use of ‘green’ methods. This region along the Baltic Sea has been ruined by Soviet-style factories, including a plant for the enrichment of uranium. The European Union has provided funding to cover the ore dump here with an enormous hill of earth.


In April 2007, a conference on climate change and development was organised by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. A rather strange situation arose: the conference was the victim of a manipulation attempt perpetrated by representatives of the “sceptics” or lobbyists. Clearly, the guest list had not been checked thoroughly.

An Italian nuclear physicist, Professor Antonino Zichichi, known for his somewhat fundamentalist ideas, highlighted the complexity of the issues related to climate change and attacked the internationally recognised evolution models. He was followed by the American Professor Fred Singer who expressed some doubts as to the empirical nature of the research into climate change. The tension grew since he was criticised for his links to the tobacco industry and oil companies!

An American theologian explained that the extraction of petrol also consists of raising to the earth’s surface the fossilised bodies of plants and animals which are the source of petrol. Thus, man reintroduces them in a resurrection process, in the image of Christ! This statement caused a stir in the conference hall. I was surprised that Cardinal Martino, who was presiding over the proceedings, said nothing – he did not even clear his throat.

The conference was thus spoiled by these positions. Nevertheless, it continued courageously thanks to the participation of various French and British experts. Several Anglican and Lutheran bishops also contributed to the quality of the work. In addition, a Masai woman from Kenya courageously described the changes in the reality of her life as a result of the worsening drought, despite the jeers expressed by the sceptics.

In conclusion, Cardinal Martino spoke before the press and called for action in line with the intervention of the Argentinean ambassador Raul Estrada Oyuela, the diplomat who led the negotiations of the Kyoto Protocol and who called for the developed countries to show more ambition and courage.

I had been made very aware of this subject a year earlier in New Zealand, at the regional conference of Caritas Oceania.

Such a wind! I arrived from Paris via Sidney. The aeroplane floated like an autumn leaf when it landed in Wellington. “Windy Wellington” – my Australian friends said repeatedly. They had forgotten about the cold! It remained very cold throughout our stay. It was winter and a storm was raging. In addition, it seemed that a gigantic iceberg was moving up from the south which would lead to even colder weather.

The main topic of the conference was climate change! The Oceania region was behind this issue in the confederation.

Father Michael Mackenzie of Kiribati presented the situation in his country, an archipelago located in both Polynesia and Micronesia, between the Marshall Islands and the Islands of Hawaii in the north and the Solomon Islands. Kiribati is made up of 33 islands; its altitude varies between two and three metres. Since 1950, the water temperature has risen from 28°C to 29°C.

These islands are very vulnerable to global warming in addition to the destruction of the environment. Surging tides have already caused significant damage. Fish stocks have decreased. There is less rainfall and agriculture has been affected. Where will these environmental refugees find shelter?


The general assembly of Caritas Internationalis in 2007 focused particular attention on this topic, essential for the future of humanity, which is now the subject of concrete work of the network, integrating these questions into the programmes. “The increase in the world population and consumers’ growing demands are having a major impact on the exploitation of the environment, leaving it more fragile than ever. The population of the rich countries is destroying the environment through their excessive consumption, while the population of the poor countries is over-exploiting the resources simply in order to survive.”


This main focus is being continued. At the end of June 2009, the Secretary General, Lesley-Anne Knight, spoke in Geneva before the Global Humanitarian Forum during the session on climate change, presided over by Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations Organisation.

“It is necessary to develop an awareness of the effects of climate change on everything that we do. There would be no point in setting up agricultural programmes, or projects concerning water, health, migration or peace without taking into account the effects of climate changes on the future of these activities.”


The preventive aspect must be developed. “We can see the value of this approach in places such as Bangladesh where we have built anti-cyclone shelters for schools and community centres which offer refuge when a disaster occurs.”

In this context, and in order to face up to future challenges, the heavy consumers have to accept a reduction in their standard of living, “drive smaller cars, take fewer holidays, do not eat exotic fruit and vegetables all year round, and perhaps, pay a bit more taxes.”

Caritas Internationalis and CIDSE published a declaration prior to the world summit on climate change held in Copenhagen in December 2009, calling upon the industrialised countries to aim for a target of 40% reduction of gas emissions in 2020 compared with the 1990 levels, and make a commitment to limit global warming well below 2°C.

Furthermore, the developed countries must commit to additional public funding of at least €130 billion per year by 2020 to enable the developing countries to adapt to the impact of climate change and to establish their sustainable development.



English translation: Valérie Perales