Davos: Bartholomew, we will be judged by the urgency with which we respond to the ecological crisis

At the World Economic Forum, the Ecumenical Patriarch speaks out on ecological crisis, warning that "we know what needs to be done and we know how it must be done". "But it is becoming abundantly clear that so little is unfortunately being done." "In order to restore the balance of our planet, we need a spiritual worldview, which promotes humility, respect and solidarity"


Davos (AsiaNews) - " We will be judged by the urgency with which we respond to the ecological crisis of our age". This is the warning that ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew addressed yesterday to politicians and economists present at the World Economic Forum in Davos, which this year has the theme "Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World".

Bartholomew's warning began with the statement that "Unlike previous generations, we have no excuse; we cannot claim that we did not know. Nevertheless, despite the information at our disposal, it is becoming abundantly clear that so little is unfortunately being done."

“The crisis we face - said the Patriarch - has less to do with nature or the environment, and more to do with the way we perceive and treat the world. We are abusing the earth in an irresponsible and godless manner precisely because we look at it in this way. Unless we radically change the way we see the world, unless we voluntarily transform our pattern of consumption, then we will continue dealing with symptoms, rather than with their causes" .

On the other hand, the fact that "people, many of whom here among us in Davos", show that they "embrace the urgency of climate change", "makes us optimistic". But "we cannot transfer responsibility to others". "There is no excuse for any delays."

“In order to restore the balance of our planet, we need a spiritual worldview, which promotes humility, respect and solidarity. We must become conscious of the impact of our actions on creation and other people. We must direct our focus away from what we want to what is our duty and to what the planet needs. Otherwise, we are just entertaining convenient conversations and idle talk."

In the realization that "the Earth makes everything local" and "we are all in the same boat", Bartholomew urged the world's political leaders to be more ambitious in their legislation and more tenacious in their action. We ask them to take the appropriate measures with clarity and commitment ", not only for those who suffer from the impact of climate change, but also for young people who ask for their future. "Their world - our world - is not negotiable!".