Marking World Water Day, 22 March, Pope Francis reminds us that water is a primary necessity that must never be wasted, abused or serve as grounds for war.

Speaking during the weekly General Audience, the Pope recalled the words of St. Francis of Assisi’ in his ode to creation, Laudato sì: “Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Water, who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.”

In these simple words, he said "we feel the beauty of creation and the awareness of the challenges involved in caring for it.”

The Pope noted that the second UN Water Conference is taking place at the United Nations headquarters in New York in these days.

“I pray for the success of the work and hope that the important event will accelerate initiatives in favour of those who suffer from the scarcity of water, this primary good,” he said.

In his message to participants at the UN Water Conference taking place in New York on 22-24 March, he called for “concrete and effective” action to ensure the universal human right to access water, calling it is a right to life.
​Source: Vatican News

"A major UN 'report of reports' from the authoritative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), outlines the many options that can be taken now, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change.

The study, “Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report”, released on 20 March, following a week-long IPCC session in Interlaken, brings into sharp focus the losses and damages experienced now, and expected to continue into the future, which are hitting the most vulnerable people and ecosystems especially hard..."
​Source: United Nations.
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Watch the synthesis trailer (below) for an overview of the Report

You might like to watch the UN  Secretary-General's video message at the launch of the report  or read the text here  ​

13 March marked the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis' election to the papacy and of his vital voice to the world for social justice, the rights of refugees and the marginalised, climate change and peace.

To commemorate his anniversary, America magazine has chosen its 10 most memorable moments of his papacy so far.

​Among the many articles assessing the first ten years are the CAFOD's "10 moments from 10 years" available here

"​The world must step back from the brink of climate disaster to save the people of the Pacific from obliteration, the prime minister of Samoa has urged.

On the eve of a landmark report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is expected to deliver a scientific “final warning” on the climate emergency, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Samoa’s prime minister, issued a desperate plea for action.
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“We’re all impacted, but the degree of the impact is in the particular circumstance of countries. So our low-lying atoll countries, it’s right there, we’re living with it,” said Mata’afa.
​
“There are already examples in the Pacific of communities, whole communities, that have relocated to different countries,” she said. “They’re really having to address issues of sovereignty through loss of land.”..."

Source: The Guardian
Read the rest of the article here

It's one week to Earth Hour!
​Join people in 190 countries and territories for #EarthHour on 25th March at 8:30 pm local time by switching off and spending 60 minutes doing something positive for our planet.

"Nations have reached a historic agreement to protect the world's oceans following 10 years of negotiations.
The High Seas Treaty aims to place 30% of the seas into protected areas by 2030, to safeguard and recuperate marine nature.
The agreement was reached on Saturday evening, after 38 hours of talks, at UN headquarters in New York."
Source: BBC
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View the report (6:12)