Tackling the climate crisis through repentance and ecological conversion of “homo economicus”

The coincident threats to the biodiversity web of life on earth and the concomitant increase of the frequency and intensity of devastating atmospheric phenomena which impact mainly the poorest, the faith communities’ voices for repentance and ecological conversion must be heard at the COP26 in Glasgow.

Believing that Life is a gift of God and without God no Life is possible, we are deeply concerned with the ongoing climate change due to human economic activity and the greedy exploitation and depletion of natural resources which results in planetary sufferings of increasing insecurity because of natural disasters, diseases and tensions on societies.

All evidencing the increasing social crisis and ruin of our common house, we call to political leaders and to everyone of good will to REPENT and reconcile with God Creator by committing to a sustainable lifestyle assuming their universal brotherhood and respective consequences for the living of all creation.

Humanity has crossed the red line of sustainability behavior with respect to the earth’s capacity to host “human life” so political leaders must recognize the ethical and spiritual roots of the current ecological and economic crises.

Evolving from “homo sapiens”** to “homo economicus,” humankind is the digger of its own grave! The whole creation is crying because of the economic greed of human beings. Political leaders are called to collaborate with spiritual leaders and scientists to set limits to homo economicus and promote the real values of homo sapiens, that are “wisdom, justice and peace,” in our common home.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10, NIV). I hope the COP26 would be able to build bridges between policy, theology, science, technology, philosophy, psychology and arts, in order to call all men and women to an integral ecological conversion though global repentance.

The WCC promotes ecumenical, interfaith and multidisciplinary communication, as a key factor for an effective dialogue to adopt the best solutions for environmental problems and justice with political leaders. It supports the dialogue of political and natural science with philosophy, ethics, theology, art and other cultural manifestations to tackle the root causes of the present ecological crisis and its various effects. The participation of WCC at COP26 is crucial for the protection of God’s creation.

I pray the politicians and other social leaders will take active measures to return to the values of homo sapiens and to stop the business as usual of homo economicus which leads to climate change and social injustice.

* Homo economicus attempts to maximize utility as a consumer and economic profit as a producer—a hypothetical person who behaves in exact accordance with their rational self-interest.

** Homo sapiens, (Latin: “wise man”) the species to which all modern human beings belong. Homo sapiens is one of several species grouped into the genus Homo, but it is the only one that is not extinct. (Oxford language)