Reflection January 13, 2026

Laudato Si

With a single executive action issued on Jan. 7, the President of the United States ordered U.S. withdrawal from 67 international organizations, including 31 United Nations bodies, and many of the world’s leading institutions dedicated to climate science, environmental protection, biodiversity, renewable energy, and sustainable development.

Among those abandoned are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN Water, UN Oceans, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

As Catholic organizations committed to caring for God’s creation and protecting human dignity, we are deeply alarmed by this withdrawal from the very forums where nations confront shared global challenges that no country alone can solve. Climate change, ecological degradation, environmental disasters, forced migration, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss do not recognize national borders. Turning away from international cooperation on these issues does not make them disappear; it only leaves the most vulnerable and marginalized people, along with future generations, more exposed to harm.

For Catholics, this moment is pivotal in defending one of the core tenets of our faith: caring for creation. As Pope Leo XIV said, “We cannot love God, whom we cannot see, while despising his creatures. Nor can we call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ without participating in his outlook on creation and his care for all that is fragile and wounded.”

Pope Francis wrote in the groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’ that “the climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all.” Pope Leo XIV has reiterated that creation itself is crying out — through floods, droughts, storms, hunger, and displacement — and that those who suffer most are those who contributed least to the problem.

Pope Leo XIV recently echoed Pope Francis in his speech at the Raising Hope Conference, held in Rome on Oct. 1, 2025, quoting Laudate Deum, saying that, “the most effective solutions will not come from individual efforts alone, but above all from major political decisions on the national and international levels.” Withdrawing from global institutions dedicated to climate science, environmental protection, and sustainable development undermines our responsibility to listen to both the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.

The United States’ withdrawal from the IPCC and other scientific organizations is especially troubling. Irrefutable data and legitimate science are not partisan threats; they are gifts that allow humanity to understand reality truthfully and respond wisely. Catholic teaching affirms the vital role of science and scientific advancement in informing moral decision-making, particularly when human lives and the integrity of God’s creation are at stake.

Pope Leo XIV quoted Laudate Deum in his speech at the Raising Hope Conference, identifying that, “the most effective solutions will not come from individual efforts alone, but above all from major political decisions on the national and international levels.” Withdrawing from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and related organizations weakens the collective capacity of other nations to pursue these solutions. At a time when the world is failing to limit global warming to 1.5°C (the maximum temperature rise scientists recommend), retreating from cooperation only moves us backward.

We reject the false dichotomy between national interest and global responsibility presented by this Administration; they are not either-or. They are both-and. Protecting clean air, safe water, a stable climate, and thriving ecosystems is in the true and long-term interest of the United States and the entire human family. Authentic leadership does not seek isolation. Despite this discouraging decision, we reaffirm our hope.

At the Raising Hope conference, Pope Leo XIV reminded us of our interconnectedness:

“We are one family, with one Father, who makes the sun to rise and sends rain on everyone (cf. Matthew 5:45). We inhabit the same planet, and we must care for it together.”

Hope is rooted not in political power alone, but in faith, solidarity, and persistent action. Catholic Climate Covenant and Laudato Si’ Movement-North America will continue to accompany dioceses, parishes, schools, institutions, and communities as they live out the call of Laudato Si’. We will continue to advocate for ecological policies grounded in science, that pursue justice, and that embody compassion. We will continue to stand with frontline communities at home and around the world who bear the brunt of climate change.

We, the leaders of the Catholic Climate Covenant and Laudato Si’ Movement-North America, urge Catholics and all people of goodwill to:

• Continue and accelerate engagement in caring for God’s creation at the local, national, and global levels, including engagement in the political arena.
• Support faith-based and civil society efforts that uphold climate science and environmental protection.
• Pray for wisdom, courage, and conversion among political leaders.
• Deepen our commitment to lifestyles and institutions that reflect reverence for God’s creation and love for our neighbors.

At this critical moment, in the face of such a global threat, withdrawing from the world is not the path forward. The Gospel calls us outward — toward solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility for our common home. (Catholic Climate Change)