On June 7, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and Head of the Delegation of the Holy See to the United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: "Conserve and Sustainably Use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources for Sustainable Development," taking place at UN Headquarters in New York, gave an intervention during the Conference’s plenary session.

In his statement, Cardinal Turkson spoke of the “Laudato Si’ Challenge,” which involves business, political, religious and civil society leaders and groups throughout the world and highlights the importance of environmental concerns in business, planning, law and policy. He underlined that achieving SDG 14 is in everyone’s interest. He called on everyone to examine and alter consumer lifestyles that harm the environment and to integrate ethical considerations alongside scientific approaches to environmental issues. The ethical approach involves fulfilling our responsibility to care for natural resources and for those who depend on them for daily survival. It also involves focusing not just not rights but on obligations. Such a focus on moral responsibilities would be of great benefit to the health of oceans and show solidarity with future generations.

His statement can be found here.