During the coronavirus pandemic, nature's sounds and wildlife have begun to be appreciated once again. As restrictions ease, people head outside and are finding a different world waiting for them.
Tomás Insua, with Global Catholic Climate Movement, insists the pandemic lining up with the five year anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical, Laudato si', is no coincidence.
TOMÁS INSUA
Executive Director, Global Catholic Climate Movement
“We have these two crises simultaneously. One is acute and extremely fast, happens in a matter of days, weeks, months. The other one is as bad and even bigger in other dimensions it just takes more time. It develops over years or decades. But they're both as bad.
He is watching how governments and countries respond to the crisis, explaining that they shape how the globe will be when people can once again go out, as they did before. Tomas said these government responses must include ecological consideration.
TOMÁS INSUA
Executive Director, Global Catholic Climate Movement
“We know that the 'old normal' before the pandemic, was a bad normal. We know it was a normal that was destroying the earth, that was harming the poor. This throwaway culture was so pervasive across all sectors of society and the economy.”
Tomas asserts the world has been given a new opportunity to forget the “old normal” and find harmony and peace with nature those suffering the most from both crises, the poor.
TOMÁS INSUA
Executive Director, Global Catholic Climate Movement
“There's huge and horrible, untold suffering happening with this crisis. But it's also an opportunity, as the pope says very clearly, it's an opportunity for a new start. Actually the way we chose to recover from this pandemic crisis will have enormous consequences in terms of the ecological crisis”
He hopes many others will also see the opportunity for a new start, following Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si'. It explains that humanity must be seen as a whole, since God, man, and nature are all connected.
Melissa Butz
