Cut Fuel Consumption and Let Justice and Peace Flow Like a River: THE PROTECT OUR EARTH, PROTECT OUR CHILDREN (PROTEC) CAMPAIGN YEAR 4 and THE SEASON OF CREATION 2023
The President of the Episcopal Commission for Creation Justice of Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei, Rt Rev Bishop Joseph Hii has issued a pastoral letter on the theme for the PROTEC Campaign Year 4 which is, “Cut Fuel Consumption” in line with the Decarbonising Malaysia Project which started this year. PROTEC YEAR 4 will be launched on 31 August 2023 in Miri.
Below is an extract of the letter dated 7 July 2023.
Dear People of God
The sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sounded a Code Red warning to humankind in 2022. We are due to hit 1.5°C of warming in the next decade at current emission rates. This will exacerbate dangerous climate impacts which we are already experiencing in many parts of the globe, while crossing that threshold would invite untold catastrophe. Time is running out faster than we are prepared for.
Although governments have made pledges to cut down their greenhouse gas emissions, this is not happening fast enough. Even with current pledges, we are headed for over 3°C of warming by 2100 unless we change things drastically now. One clear non-negotiable is the phasing out of fossil fuels—coal, oil and gas—which provide almost all the energy we use. About 14% of greenhouse gas emissions come from just transportation alone.
As long as those of us who use more energy to support our modern-day lifestyles and travel continue with business-as-usual, there will no justice or peace for the poor who have contributed little to the climate crisis but are suffering the worst impacts of it. The right to ecological justice and resilience are the fundamental operational components of the Pope’s vision of integral ecology in Laudato Si’. This is why the Episcopal Commission for Creation Justice of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei launched its Decarbonising Malaysia project this year wherein the Roman Catholic Church in Malaysia commits to promote and facilitate a just transition to an equitable, resilient, regenerative and decarbonised economy in the country from within the Catholic Church.
Since 2020, the dioceses of Malaysia have faithfully celebrated the PROTECT OUR EARTH, PROTECT OUR CHILDREN (PROTEC) CAMPAIGN which starts with the SEASON OF CREATION each September. PROTEC runs for 5 years from 2020 to 2025 with a different theme each year.
The theme for the PROTEC Campaign Year 4 is: “Cut Fuel Consumption” in line with the Decarbonising Malaysia Project which started this year. This theme runs for one year from 1 Sept. 2023 to 31 Aug. 2024. PROTEC YEAR 4 will be launched on 31 August 2023 in Miri with a Holy Mass followed by a workshop. We are very grateful to His Lordship, Bishop Richard Ng, for kindly hosting these celebrations. We thank the Creation Justice Commissions of the dioceses of Miri and Kuching for taking the lead in jointly organizing the launch events and overseeing the promotion of PROTEC YEAR 4 for the full year.
The theme of the 2023 Season of Creation (1 Sept. to 4 Oct.) is: “Let justice and peace flow like a river” (Amos 5:24) mainly to address the climate injustice imposed on those who are disproportionately affected by human-caused climate change. 1 September was declared by Pope Francis in 2015 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.
The Episcopal Commission for Creation Justice of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei earnestly calls on all the faithful in all dioceses to fully celebrate the Season of Creation and the PROTEC Campaign this year and in succeeding years. The time for ecological conversion and action is Now. May the Holy Spirit inspire in us a true sense of accountability and fraternity in order to hear and respond to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor with compassion and firm commitment (Laudato Si’ 49).
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
RT. REV. BISHOP JOSEPH HII
President
Episcopal Commission for Creation Justice of Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei
