A Global Fund to eliminate hunger

Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Rome/Vatican [ENA] Pope Francis' speech at COP28 in Dubai was delivered by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. In his speech the Pontiff appealed to the leaders of the world to overcome "divisions" in order to proceed with common action against the devastation of Creation, an "offense against God", and to curb "delusions of omnipotence" and "greed without limits": “The hour is urgent. History will be grateful to you."

-wrote the Pope. Pope Francis then wanted to dispel the responsibility attributed to births as well as the current crisis and hopes: "2024 will be a turning point year". Eyes open towards the future of the earth and its population who see their very existence threatened; ears strained to listen to the "cry" of the poor, victims and not responsible for the ongoing climate crisis; hands and arms busy to counter that "unlimited greed, which has made the environment the object of unbridled exploitation"; the mind free from catastrophists and deniers and focused on developing projects and initiatives that promote the "culture of life".

Like that of a Global Fund to eliminate hunger, set up with money used for weapons and military spending. Pope Francis is not physically present at COP28, but his message - of denunciation and hope - resonated effectively at Expo City, where over 190 heads of state and government gathered on the third day of work. Francis places himself at the forefront together with the leaders of the nations in this challenge: “I am with you because, now more than ever, everyone's future depends on the present we choose. I am with you because the devastation of creation is an offense against God, a sin that is not only personal but structural which affects human beings, especially the weakest, a grave danger which looms over everyone and which risks

triggering a conflict between generations." There is only one way out: "The way forward, multilateralism". Multilateralism is cooling down while the planet is heating up. “It is essential to rebuild trust, the foundation of multilateralism,” hoped the Pope, quoting John Paul II in his speech to the UN in 1995.  This applies to the care of creation as well as to peace. “How much energy is humanity wasting in the many ongoing wars, such as in Israel and Palestine, in Ukraine and in many regions of the world: conflicts that will not solve the problems, but will increase them!”, is the Pope's bitter observation . How many resources wasted on armaments, which destroy lives and ruin the common home! The Pope then recalled another Pope,

Paul VI, to relaunch the proposal of the Populorum Progressio: "With the money used on weapons and other military expenditure we have to constitute a global Fund to finally eliminate hunger". To move forward, "a political change" is needed, added Francis. Work for life, not for death. At the moment the only change we are witnessing is climate change, the Pope points out. It is "a global social problem that is intimately linked to the dignity of human life". “Are we working for a culture of life or death?” asked the Bishop of Rome. Let's choose life, let's choose the future! Let us listen to the groaning of the earth, let us listen to the cries of the poor, let us listen to the hopes of young people and the dreams of children!

We have a great responsibility: to ensure that their future is not denied. The Pope entering into the core of the ongoing climate emergency, spoke of the "overheating of the planet", caused by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, caused in turn by human activity which in recent decades has become "unsustainable for the ecosystem". The Pontiff stigmatized "the ambition to produce and possess" which has turned into "obsession", "unlimited greed", "unbridled exploitation", "delirium of omnipotence".

It's not the fault of the poor, because almost half of the world, the poorest, is responsible for just 10% of polluting emissions, while the gap between the few wealthy and the many disadvantaged has never been so abysmal. The "indigenous populations" are therefore "victims" and all around there are deforestation, hunger, water and food insecurity, induced migratory flows. “Births are not a problem, but a resource: they are not against life, but for life, while certain ideological and utilitarian models that are imposed with velvet gloves on families and populations represent real colonizations”, stated Pope Francis

This COP is a turning point: it shows a clear and tangible political will, which leads to a decisive acceleration of the ecological transition Go forward, not behind. The Pope accompanied his hope with practical indications for its realization: energy efficiency; renewables; elimination of fossil fuels; education in lifestyles.The power to serve.This is what power is for: “To serve”. “And there is no point in maintaining an authority today that will be remembered tomorrow for its inability to intervene when it was urgent and necessary,” warns Pope Francis. “History – he assured– will be grateful to you. And also the societies in which you live, within which there is a disastrous division into 'fans': between catastrophists and indifferent

between radical environmentalists and climate deniers... It is useless - he observes - to join sides; in this case , as in the cause of peace, this does not lead to any remedy." The remedy is only “good politics”. Citing the holy Saint Francis of Assisi author of the Canticle of the Creatures, the Pope concluded his message with the hope that "2024 marks the turning point". Let's leave divisions behind and join forces! And, with God's help, we emerge from the night of wars and environmental devastation to transform the common future into a dawn of light.