standup.comboniyouth.org.uk

Environmental destruction and social justice often go hand in hand. Damage to the environment will almost certainly affect the poor most of all, since poor communities inevitably inhabit the worst and most vulnerable locations. What is more, 80% of the world's resources are commandeered by the richest 20% of the world's population. In other words, we in the affluent countries take far more than our fair share of the world's goods.

Much of our consumption becomes waste almost immediately. Meanwhile, 20% of humanity remains destitute, lacking even the basic necessities of clean water, adequate food, shelter and clothing.

As the bishops of England and Wales stated in their document 'The Call of Creation': "A way of life that disregards and damages God's creation, forces the poor into greater poverty, and threatens the right of future generations to a healthy environment and to their fair share of the earth's wealth and resources, is contrary to the vision of the Gospel…The full human development of every human person both now and in future generations cannot be separated from the fate of the earth".