On the 10th anniversary of Laudato si: Has the needle moved on environmental reform?

On the 10th anniversary of "Laudato si" encyclical (Praise be to You)--subtitled "On our Common Home" and launched on May 24, 2016--it is quite timely to shed light on it, to explore its importance, and to look into the need to have it studied thoroughly in order to reform the ailing global environmental situation of our common home.

The encyclical--focusing on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as on the relationship between God, humans, and the Earth--recalls the words of Saint Francis of Assisi reminding us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs”.

The introduction of the encyclical is very impressive as it refers to Earth as "Mother Earth" implying that as one loves one's mother, one should always show reverence and appreciation to this Earth that the Lord created and gave to His beloved creatures in its capacity as their mother who takes care of her children.

The encyclical adds, "This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail” (Romans 8:22). We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters."

Actually, this introduction of the encyclical reflects on the dire need to take urgent measures to rectify the damage inflicted on the “common home" of humanity due to the relevant malpractices conducted on regular bases. This encyclical, invites humans “to praise the Lord, just as if they were endowed with the needed wisdom to help restore the damage inflicted on nature”.  Furthermore, it makes an urgent appeal to protect our “common home” so as to “bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change.”

It is to be admitted that climate change has grave impacts on all walks of life with many poor people living in countries affected by warming which affects agriculture, fishing and forestry in addition to fresh drinking water, thus undermining  basic tenets of a healthy future. In light of this change, several world countries have been edging towards food shortages or rather famine, which necessitates taking relevant measures, in addition to creating an atmosphere conducive to the attainment of “global peace”, where peoples shift their efforts towards constructive measures that eliminate the specter of famine and open the way wide for the survival of humanity.

A bird's-eye view on the six-chapter Laudato Si’ indicates that it summarizes the scope of current problems related to the environment which include pollution, climate change, water scarcity, loss of biodiversity, and global inequality among others.

The encyclical “Laudato si” serves as a panacea for the sustainable  deterioration  of climate which threatens the spread of diseases and leads to starvation as it is being felt in several countries in the world. Reports indicates that several countries in the world are drifting towards hunger. Under such circumstances, the world tends to be edging towards instability which snowballs into wars, and diseases. Press reports indicate that more than 800 million people in the world suffer from hunger, and this figure could soon exceed one billion due to the prevailing global warming. Furthermore, one-third of the world's population is undernourished and does not have access to sufficient healthy and balanced food which requires reversing course and contributing to making world food more equitable, crisis-proof and climate-friendly.

On the 10^th anniversary of the encyclical--as several countries and organizations in the world have seized every opportunity to highlight the importance of this landmark encyclical as it saves the world from poverty and ensures a thriving world--all efforts need to be recruited to restore a healthy environment. It is a collective duty, whereby all world countries ought to intensely work in this direction. Without such joint efforts no fruitful  achievements could be attained. Efforts exerted in this direction provide an opportunity to improve the overall living conditions of people including  health, transport, energy and security,  as well as contribute to creating new job opportunities and offering helpless people a good chance  to enjoy a bright future.

With hopes to reverse the upcoming ecological changes and help the poor ensure a better and a prosperous future, it is important that world leaders move the needle on environmental reform as well as shun the production of nuclear weapons so as to ensure a world free from whatever threatens a safe and sound environment.