In this edition, we survey the global landscape of recent weeks, bringing together several developments following the summit in Brazil and the roadmap toward COP31. We present a selection that highlights the advocacy work of the Laudato Si’ Movement and the follow-up to the UNFCCC executive reports, as well as the implications of geopolitical tensions for energy security. It also brings together the actions of academia and church networks in the implementation phase of climate commitments and the defense of territorial rights.
—— Advocacy and Climate Diplomacy ——
The Laudato Si’ Movement met with the COP30 leadership to discuss climate justice and a just transition. (April 2026)
The meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took place on the eve of the Santa Marta Conference and reinforced the importance of the voice of religious communities in international climate debates. It also made it possible to discuss climate justice, a just transition, and international cooperation in the context of the ongoing processes on the global climate agenda.
- Read more at: https://laudatosimovement.org
The COP30 presidency stated that climate action must not wait for consensus. (April 2026)
The president of the summit in Brazil stated that the urgency of the climate crisis does not allow decisions to be postponed while waiting for unanimous consensus. The statement underscored that States must move forward with concrete and immediate measures to meet emission reduction targets.
- Read more at: https://contralinea.com.mx
The UNFCCC published an executive report on the global roadmap toward COP31. (March 2026)
The secretariat of the Framework Convention released a document detailing the strategic steps following the Belém summit. The report set out guidelines to strengthen Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the financing mechanisms needed for the global climate transition.
- Read more at: https://unfccc.int
—— Energy Security and Transition ——
The conflict in the Strait of Hormuz is accelerating the debate on the transition to renewable energy. (April 2026)
Recent geopolitical instability in the region triggered debates over oil supply security and price volatility. This context has driven analysis of how to accelerate the transition toward renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
- Read more at: https://www.theinvadingsea.com
The UN Secretary-General linked renewable energy to national security. (March 2026)
In his message for the State of the Global Climate report, António Guterres stated that renewable energy guarantees climate security, energy security, and national security. The message underscored that, in the face of climate destabilization and global insecurity caused by addiction to fossil fuels, it is necessary, now more than ever, to accelerate a just transition toward renewable sources.
Watch the video message here:
- Full article: https://unfccc.int
Catholic leaders called for a transition away from fossil fuels. (March 2026)
Church representatives made a formal call to stop the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. The appeal stressed that a just transition must protect workers and nature, prioritizing the common good over profit from extractive economic activity.
- Read more at: https://laudatosimovement.org
—— Academic Alliances and Territorial Rights ——
The Pontifical University of Comillas participated in the launch of the Global Alliance for Integral Ecology. (March 2026)
The institution was part of the creation of this global academic network dedicated to research and training in integral ecology. The project seeks to translate the encyclical Laudato si’ into practical content to promote ecological conversion, with the aim of building an approach to sustainability together with the principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
- Read more at: https://www.comillas.edu
The Church in Mesoamerica warns of a water crisis and defends water as a right. (March 2026)
In the context of World Water Day, the Mesoamerican Ecclesial Ecological Network (Remam) issued a statement highlighting water as a work of creation and its importance as a vital human right, while also warning of the multiple threats affecting it.
- Read more at: https://adn.celam.org
The Saint Paul School Complex promoted agricultural technical training with the support of the Maisha Center. (March 2026)
Students from the first graduating class in agronomy at the Saint Paul School Complex prepared vegetable seedbeds with the support of the Maisha Center as part of their practical training. This initiative sought to reaffirm the value of agricultural professions as a pillar of economic development and food security. The project integrated theory with professional practice in order to foster the empowerment of young people and their contribution to sustainable local development.
- Read more at: https://jesuitesacerdc.net
