Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president, Kalookan Archbishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, has called on world leaders, especially from rich and industrialized nations, to take moral responsibility for the worsening climate crisis by paying their “ecological debt” and phasing out fossil fuels.
Speaking at a side event during the climate summit in Brazil, David urged developed countries to support vulnerable nations like the Philippines, which bear the brunt of extreme weather events despite contributing least to global emissions.
“Let us pray for the Philippines, which continues to suffer from life-threatening typhoons,” David said, adding, “Climate change is a wound to human dignity. For our people, facing droughts, cyclones, forest loss, ocean warming, displacement, and hunger, climate change is not abstract. It is daily survival.”
The cardinal said the climate crisis is not only an environmental or economic issue but a moral one rooted in “broken relationships” between humanity and nature.
“Repair requires new imagination, new priorities, and new forms of solidarity. This conversion must be personal, structural, cultural, and systemic,” he said.
David emphasized that fighting climate change goes beyond infrastructure and nature-based solutions. It must include protecting indigenous territories, ensuring food sovereignty, and empowering local communities to manage their natural resources.
“It’s unconscionable that those least responsible for the problem suffer the most,” he said, calling for a historic North-South coalition to push for climate justice.
Despite the challenges, David expressed hope in the growing public awareness and civic engagement among Filipinos. “There is a strong reaction now from young people and ordinary citizens. This is a new expression of people power — not just rallies or demonstrations, but a movement to strengthen our democracy and make our systems of checks and balances work,” he said.
The cardinal’s message was both a moral appeal and a wake-up call — urging world leaders and citizens alike to act before the wounds of climate change become irreversible.
