The German Catholic Bishops’ Organisation for Development Cooperation (Misereor) together with the Pontifical Justitia et Pax Council organized an International Symposium on Climate Change and Justice in the Vatican City, October 1st-3rd 2010. The symposium gathered about 50 participants: Cardinal Peter Kodwoh Appiah Turkson, president of Justitia et Pax, Cardinal Oswald Gracias from India, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga from Honduras, besides over 20 bishops representing the Episcopal Conferences in Asia, the Pacific Region, Oceania, Africa, Latin America and Europe, priests and laypeople. They were discussing issues of Climate Change and Justice in each region together with 7 Experts of the fields of Economy, Social Development and Climate Change. Fr. Eduardo Agosta Scarel, O. Carm. (Cast-Arg), a member of the JPIC international commission of the Order and of the coordinating team of the Carmelite NGO, was one of the experts invited to talk about Climate Change and its impact on South America and the Amazonia. The symposium was challenging and proved to be an eye opener to those attending. A Declaration Document was drawn up under the direction of Fr. Eduardo bringing together the analysis of reality, main concerns and commitments of the local Churches represented by their bishops during the symposium.

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