On October 10, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave an intervention during the Second Committee debate on Agenda Item 19, dedicated to “Sustainable Development.”

In his statement, Archbishop Auza said that sustainable development must be integral and go beyond economic growth, but include the growth of the whole person and every person in the context of the community and environment. Sustainable development, he stated, must reject inordinate consumerism and individualism and affirm sustainable consumption and production. He called particular attention to the stresses that climatic changes can have on development and said that solidarity with those suffering from the consequent environmental catastrophes is required by justice. He repeated Pope Francis’ summons to “ecological conversion” and to intergenerational solidarity.

The statement can be found here.