By Jamie O’Brien and Justin McLellan
Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas has this week told The Record of his experience at the recent Climate Resilience Summit in Rome.
Lord Mayor Zempilas was among eight governors and 16 mayors from across the world who met the Holy Father during a three-day Vatican summit on climate resiliency on 16 May.
Mayor Zempilas explained that his participation in the summit included talking about what the City of Perth, and Perth more widely, is doing in relation to climate resilience.
“I was able to share our learnings, and how we facilitate collaboration between industry partners,” Lord Mayor Zempilas said.
“It was also an opportunity for Perth to put on display the leadership role we take,” he said.
Perth is a foundation member of the world energies cities partnership – for cities where energy companies are based – hence Lord Mayor Zempilas’ attendance at the Summit.
Pope Francis urged the governors and mayors to work with international partners in developing a “holistic” approach to climate action that reduces emissions and combats inequality.
“The refusal to act quickly to protect the most vulnerable who are exposed to climate change caused by human activity is a serious offense,” the Holy Father said.
“The climate crisis requires a symphony of cooperation and global solidarity,” which includes “emissions reduction, lifestyle education, innovative financing, and the use of proven nature-based solutions,” he continued.
Continuing his speech, the Holy Father said the refusal to act quickly to protect the most vulnerable who are exposed to climate change caused by human activity is a serious offence.
“The climate crisis requires a symphony of cooperation and global solidarity,” which includes “emissions reduction, lifestyle education, innovative financing, and the use of proven nature-based solutions.”
Pope Francis told the Governors and Mayors that unless issues such as the loss of biodiversity, global disparities and lack of food security are faced “urgently and collectively,” they will “represent existential threats for our human family, for other living beings and for ecosystems.”
The Holy Father stressed the disproportionate impact climate change has on the world’s poor people, who due to pollution are put out of work, forced to migrate and are put at greater risk of health issues. He called for a worldwide end of dependence on fossil fuels, the protection of natural territories such as the Amazon and Congo basins and the restructuring and reduction of debt held by countries in the global South to acknowledge the “ecological debt” owed to them.