January 21, 2021
Washington, D.C. – The Franciscan Action Network today applauds the announcement from the Biden Administration that the United States will rejoin the Paris Climate Accord. We believe by this action, the U.S. is taking a necessary first step toward a cleaner, greener planet for all of God’s creatures.
Additionally, we are happy to see the efforts to reverse various other Trump-era policies which disregarded damage caused to God’s Creation. Franciscans have spoken out many times against the Keystone XL Pipeline, the rollback to vehicle emissions standards, and leasing of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to gas and oil drilling, all of which were included in President Biden’s initial executive orders.
Patron Saint of Ecology, Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi had a relational understanding of creation. All creatures, from the smallest to “our Sister, Mother Earth,” are sisters and brothers, part of the very family of God. Following this tradition, Franciscan theologian St. Bonaventure developed a theological and spiritual vision that acknowledged all creation existing as a “footprint” of God, and leading us back to God if we are able to “read” nature properly. It is this vision which continues to inspire our work advocating for a sustainable future for “our Sister, Mother Earth.”
Rejoining global partners in the Paris Climate Accord is an important step in the necessary work to limit global warming and we recommit ourselves to addressing policies which affect climate change and its negative impacts.
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