The Time to Act is Now to Reverse the Impact of Global Warming and Overreliance on Fossil Fuels

(Los Angeles and Sacramento, California)- As wildfires continue to devastate the Los Angeles region claiming lives, destroying communities, and displacing thousands of families, the Laudato Si Movement (LSM) California Chapter calls for action to meaningfully address the root causes of the growing climate crisis.

Sr. Ann Pratt, OP, California Chapter Co-Leader said, “As we launch our California Laudato Si Chapter at the end of this month, we want to show that as Catholics, we are responding to the pain and fear, rooted in the realities of this tragedy. We are people who hold hope over fear and love over division. The devastating California wildfires have heightened our awareness that we need to join together with our hearts and hands to respond to what is happening to our sisters and brothers and to our common home.” 

“This is not merely a natural disaster; it is exacerbated by this human-made climate crisis that demands immediate and transformative action. We offer our prayerful condolences to those who have lost loved ones or whose lives have been suddenly disrupted as a result of the wildfires,” said Betsy Reifsnider, California Chapter Co-Leader. “Scientists and climate experts have made it unequivocally clear: the increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires are directly tied to the warming of our planet, driven by the burning of fossil fuels.”

 The California Chapter and the LSM Movement echo Pope Francis’s call in his encyclical Laudato Si’ to care for our common home by responding to the needs of those displaced and mourning, and transitioning away from fossil fuels and embracing renewable energy and sustainable practices.

“As people of faith and goodwill, we ardently believe it is our moral obligation to act boldly to protect all of God’s creation and safeguard the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable,” added Anna Johnson, Laudato Si Movement North America Director. “We urge our leaders to accelerate an aggressive response to climate change as we collectively reduce our carbon footprints and give a voice to policies that will heal our planet. Together, we can foster a world that reflects the harmony and justice of God’s creation.”

About

The California Chapter is a state-based collaboration of the nonprofit Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM), an international network of 900 Catholic organizations and thousands of grassroots leaders working together to care for our common home and advance climate and ecological justice. LSM members strive to be led by the Holy Spirit, and find joy and support in their faith and in each other. LSM acts at the forefront of faith-based efforts to protect the environment. The Chapters enjoy a collaborative working environment in which everyone is committed to tackling the planetary crisis with courage and love. We believe as Pope Francis said in Laudato Si’, that “truly, much can be done!”