In the midst of COP30—which is taking place from November 10 to 21 in Belém—the Catholic Church has received an unusual recognition from the United Nations. Gustau Mañez Gomis, Chief of Cabinet of the Conference of the Parties (COP), praised the growing role of the Church in the climate debate and openly asked its representatives: “Keep speaking loudly.” As he stated on behalf of Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), when the Church intervenes in this field, “politics listens.”
A reference for all religions
Mañez highlighted the “moral leadership” that, in his opinion, Pope Francis and now Pope Leo XIV have exercised through documents such as Laudato si’ and Laudate Deum, texts that he described as “inspiring references for all religions.” The statements were made at the close of the panel The prophetic voice of the Church in the care of our common home, where three cardinals from the Global South officially delivered to the UN their new joint message for this climate summit.
On behalf of Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Mañez Gomis praised “the fundamental leadership” exercised by the Church in recent years and described Laudato si’ and Laudate Deum as reference texts for “all the religions of the world.” For the UN, the voice of the Church has a singular weight in guiding public opinion, especially in regions where faith remains a decisive actor.
Are we now on the same page?
The UN, on numerous occasions, has promoted policies contrary to Catholic teaching on essential issues such as life, family, and educational freedom. That it now asks the Church to “speak louder” on climate matters suggests an expectation of alignment with the ideological framework of global environmental governance.
This scenario demands discernment. The Church’s mission does not consist of becoming a subordinate actor within the international decision-making system, but of offering a moral perspective that does not depend on the acceptance of multilateral organizations. The defense of our common home is part of the Christian vision; uncritical adherence to global agendas is not.