Catholic patriarchs, cardinals and bishops representing five continents appealed to climate negotiators on Monday to approve a "transformative" and fair, legally binding agreement that sets global temperature limits and decarbonization goals to save the planet from climate-induced catastrophe.
The representatives of bishops' conferences from around the globe signed the appeal in a renewed push to encourage climate negotiators meeting in Paris next month to heed Pope Francis' call to protect God's creation and the poor who suffer most from its exploitation.
The 10-point proposal calls for governments to approve legally binding limits to global average temperatures, set a mid-century goal for complete decarbonization and provide binding and ambitious mitigation commitments that recognize the different responsibilities for, and abilities to adapt to, global warming.
No precise temperature limit was proposed in the appeal. Cardinal Oswald Gracias, who heads the Asian bishops' conference, suggested the omission was a compromise designed to ensure all bishops could sign onto the appeal, which is the first of its kind for the episcopal conferences from each of the five continents.
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