Scottish Catholic Observer

Roseanna Cunningham MSP, the Scottish Government minister for environment, climate change and land reform, was in Rome on July 6 for a conference on the third anniversary of Holy Father’s encyclical Laudato si’ on care for our common home.

The Scottish Government have just announced a partnership with the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)—who will implement a £3.2 million Scottish Government programme in Malawi focusing on climate change, human rights and access to resources—and the charity had helped organise the papal meeting.

Mrs Cunningham said Pope Francis was an ‘extraordinary individual ‘and that it had been a privilege to shake his hand and have a few words with him.’

“The energy he brings to the room is amazing,” she said. “You can feel it everywhere in the room. The people there from all around the world were enthralled to be there, including me.”

Mrs Cunningham said she had downloaded Laudato si’ when it was first published, and that the Church has ‘an enormous amount to offer.’

“It is a truly global multinational with deep roots into every community in the world and the capacity for the Church to really change minds on [climate change] and change behaviours is enormous. I suppose my one hope is that Pope Francis’ commitments and enthusiasm penetrates into all the national churches around the world.”

Speaking about the Vatican’s actions on climate change and justice, she added: “It’s a really important message that goes out from the Church into every community. It will help us change minds and behaviours if parishes the lengths and breadth of Scotland take this up.”

And she said the Church has a ‘key role’ to play in international affairs and ‘I wish it would do more of it.’

“I think the Church has an absolutely extraordinary potential because it can play right into the homes and local communities and I really want it to use that on these issues on social justice and climate justice,” she said.

During the conference, Mrs Cunningham had a long meeting with Cardinal Peter Turkson, prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, the Vatican body which oversees justice and peace issues.

The two spoke about the importance of climate justice, Mrs Cunningham said, and that Cardinal Turkson showed an interest in Scotland’s efforts to fight for climate justice and address water resource challenges around the world.

“I think a lot of the conference was talking about things that Scotland is in the processing of doing,” she said, adding that governments need to ensure people aren’t left behind when transitioning away from carbon-based economies.

Alistair Dutton, director of SCIAF, was also in Rome for the conference, and he said he was delighted be implementing the new Climate Challenge Programme Malawi.

“We have a strong record of successfully delivering climate justice development programmes in Malawi and the region, and working closely with local partners and communities to ensure our work has the biggest impact,” he said. “This programme will help vulnerable communities in southern Malawi cope with the climate challenges they face by increasing the food, water and clean energy they have. I’ve no doubt this programme will help change the lives of many poor and vulnerable Malawians for the better.”