Rome, Italy — Ten years after the Paris Agreement, government pledges — the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — continue to fall short of what science and justice demand.
At the Raising Hope for Climate Justice conference, Pope Leo XIV called the world to moral courage ahead of COP30:
“It is my hope that the upcoming COP30 will listen to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor… There is no room for indifference or resignation.”
And he ended with a question that cannot be ignored:
“God will ask us if we have cultivated and cared for the world He created, and if we have taken care of our brothers and sisters. What will be our answer?”
That question is at the heart of the People’s Determined Contributions (PDC) campaign — a global movement inviting people of faith and goodwill to take action where political commitments have stalled.
This appeal gained new force yesterday, when Pope Leo XIV met with King Charles III at the Vatican to discuss ecumenical cooperation and care for creation. The meeting reaffirmed that caring for our common home transcends borders and creeds — it is a moral imperative for all humanity.
PDCs are personal or community commitments that complement government climate pledges (NDCs) and are inspired by the Laudato Si’ Goals. They can be small or large actions that contribute to caring for our common home: reforesting local areas, divesting from fossil fuels, reducing consumption, or supporting the poor and displaced.
“We need governments to act, but we can’t wait for them,” said Lorna Gold, Executive Director of Laudato Si’ Movement. “The PDCs are the people’s answer — a moral uprising for our common home.”
Through raisinghope.earth/action, everyone can submit a personal or community commitment inspired by the Laudato Si’ Goals — from reforesting local areas to divesting from fossil fuels, from reducing consumption to supporting the poor and displaced.
“This is about more than switching to paper straws or turning lights off — we have moved beyond that,” said Gold. “It is about stepping up as ‘action heroes’ for our planet and the future.”
As Pope Leo XIV told participants at Castel Gandolfo’s Conference, on Oct. 1st., “There is indeed an action hero with us — it is all of you, who are working together to make a difference.”
This campaign takes those words seriously. It’s not about waiting for others; it’s about millions acting together and making that action visible.
When governments hesitate, people lead — with hope as their plan.