EarthBeat Weekly: Faith groups call for better protection of blue planet at UN ocean summit

Faith groups call for better protection of blue planet at UN ocean summit Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change June 13, 2025 The Pacific Ocean seen from Sonoma Coast State Park in Bodega Bay, Calif., Jan. 28, 2021. (CNS/Chaz Muth) "To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God," Blair Nelsen, executive director of Waterspirit, said in quoting Laudato Si' during her comments at the third United Nations Ocean Conference, UNOC3, in Nice, France, earlier this week. The line doesn't originate from Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical, though. It refers to a 1997 address in Santa Barbara, California, by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The interfaith background of such a quote appropriately reflects the multifaith approach taken by various religious and spiritual groups at UNOC3 this year. Waterspirit is a ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, and therefore Catholic in identity. Nelsen also helps lead Faith in the Ocean, a predominantly (though not exclusively) Catholic network of 100 organizations and 455 individuals that issued a declaration at UNOC3 saying in part: "The unchecked extraction and commercialization of marine resources threaten biodiversity, disrupt ecosystems, and diminish the ocean's ability to sustain life. We must restore a relationship with the ocean that is guided by respect, responsibility, and sustainability."  Faith in the Ocean's Catholic partners include Maryknoll, Columban Missionaries, Mercy International Association, Salesian Missions, Laudato Si' Movement and Pax Christi International. Also present at the U.N. ocean summit was Faiths for UNOC3, which issued its own multi-faith  declaration June 9 marking interfaith commitment to marine conservation and ocean protection.  Their declaration's growing list of signatories include some of the same Catholic groups within Faith in the Ocean — Laudato Si' Movement, the Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, the Columbans and Franciscans International — as well as the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA), the Commission for Inter-Religious Dialogue and Ecumenism of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops and others. Nelsen continued in her remarks, which she posted to LinkedIn on Thursday: "The time has come for us to repent of our ecological sins and to prevent future harm to our beautiful blue planet." Together, Faith in the Ocean and Faiths for UNOC3 represent more than 150 religious and spiritual organizations calling on countries to redouble attention, actions and financing toward the health of the oceans, reported NCR environment correspondent Brian Roewe. Read more: Protect life by protecting the oceans, faith groups tell UN conference     What else is new on EarthBeat: 10 NCR editorials call for climate action from US bishops, ordinary Catholics and beyond by NCR Staff Over the years, NCR has consistently called for climate action — and applauded when it happens. Here are the 10 most recent editorials focused on the climate, environment and Catholic teaching on care for creation.   In California's largest landback deal, the Yurok Tribe reclaims sacred land around Klamath River by Anita Hofschneider, Grist “No words can describe how we feel knowing that our land is coming back to the ownership of the Yurok people,” said Joseph James, the chairman of the Yurok Tribal Council.   Delaware garden of plenty provides food to needy, thanks to Vincentians, parishes by Cathy Rossi, The Dialog, OSV News An expansive garden sitting on a third of an acre of parish property at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Frankford, the mission church of St. Ann Parish in Bethany Beach, serves neighbors in need within the boundaries of both churches and is the only one of its kind in the Wilmington Diocese.   Gaza-bound aid boat with Greta Thunberg on board arrives in Israel after its seizure by Yesica Fisch, Tia Goldenberg, Associated Press A Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists arrived at an Israeli port Monday after Israeli forces stopped and detained them — enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the Israel-Hamas war.   Augustinian sisters sustain environment and livelihoods in Mozambique by Tawanda Karombo Amid a humanitarian crisis, program teaches women sustainable farming practices.    What's happening in other climate news: Trump EPA proposes repealing major air pollution and emissions limits for power plants —Ella Nilsen for CNN California sues Trump administration over right to clean air —Lisa Gross for Inside Climate News In one of the nation's most polluted communities, Trump terminates funding for air monitoring —Lee Hedgepeth for Inside Climate News From research to restrooms: Summer staffing crunch hits national parks after Trump cuts —Steve Gorman, Tim Reid and Ruffin Prevost for Reuters This group is the most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses by far —Joshua Partlow for the Washington Post Fossil fuel billionaires are bankrolling the anti-trans movement —Emily Atkin for HEATED and Atmos Church in Latin America calls for a 'just ecological transition' —Kielce Gussie for Vatican News The river that came back to life: a journey down the reborn Klamath —Gabrielle Canon for the Guardian   Final Beat: When Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg boarded the "Madleen," a ship with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition headed for Gaza with lifesaving food and medical supplies, she was criticized by some for supposedly abandoning her activism within the climate movement for which she became so well known.  Her response to such claims echoes the integrated approach to human rights and justice issues espoused by the Catholic Church, especially through Pope Francis' promotion of "integral ecology" with his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si'. In an interview from the "Madleen" with Democracy Now on June 4, Thunberg said: "We cannot have climate justice without social justice. The reason why I am a climate activist is not because I want to protect trees. I am a climate activist because I care about human and planetary well-being, and those are extremely interlinked.  For example, when we see the genocide in Gaza, of course there are some very obvious links — ecocide, environmental destruction is a very common method used in war and to oppress people — but also it should be much simpler than that. No matter what the cause of the suffering is, whether that is CO2, whether that is bombs, whether that is state repression or other forms of violence, we have to stand up against that source of suffering.  And if we pretend to care about the environment, if we pretend to care about the climate and our children's future without seeing and acknowledging and fighting against the suffering of all marginalized people today, then that is an extremely racist approach to justice that excludes the majority of the world's population." The "Madleen" was seized by Israeli forces on June 9. Thunberg and other crewmembers were deported from Israel the next day. Thanks for reading EarthBeat. Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org     Featured Advertisers   Looking to Hire? Offering Retreats? Selling Books? Place an Ad in NCR's Online Classified Section for Only $75 per Month!   Advertisement