New York, 12 October 2026

Madam Chair,

Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development, while having as its overarching aim the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimension, seeks to balance three interconnected pillars: social, economic and environmental.

The challenges presented in achieving sustainable development are interrelated and the efforts to pursue it cannot be separated or siloed. Nor can they be separated from humanity’s cultural, moral and spiritual dimensions.

This is clearly evidenced by the climate crisis. While climate change profoundly impacts the natural world around us, it also impacts the lives of millions of people, their communities, the livelihoods of families and the prospects of generations. The consequences of climate change therefore extend far beyond the environmental dimension alone, affecting food security, health, migration, livelihoods, culture and, sometimes leading to conflict.

Indeed, the climate and environmental crisis “is not an isolated issue, but rather the ecological aspect of the contemporary socio-economic crisis.”[1]

This understanding lies at the heart of integral ecology, which is the recognition that care for creation is inseparable from care for spiritual, moral and cultural dimensions of the human person.

Too often, climate change is approached principally as a technical challenge. While technological solutions and economic instruments play an important role, they cannot address the deeper social, moral and cultural factors that contribute to the crisis. Indeed, “unless they are addressed, no technical solutions for protecting the environment will have a chance of achieving their desired end.” [2]

As Pope Leo XIV affirms, “caring for creation becomes an expression of humanity and solidarity.”[3] Therefore, the international community should embrace this integral perspective, recognizing that care for creation and care for the human person are not competing priorities, but interconnected dimensions of the common and shared responsibility.

Thank you, Madam Chair.
 

__________________________________________

[1] Pope Leo XIV, Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas, 43.

[2] Pope Leo XIV, Video message on the occasion of the Tenth Austrian World Summit, 16 June 2026.

[3] Ibid.