To κοινό μας σπίτι

This guide, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Holy See, outlines the interconnected nature of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and social injustice. Inspired by Pope Francis's encyclical 'Laudato si', it calls for a fundamental shift from a relationship of exploitation to one of care for the planet, emphasizing the need to abandon fossil fuels and reduce overconsumption to protect the 'common home'.

• The climate crisis is driven by economic and social systems reliant on fossil fuels, specifically the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas for industry, transport, and heating. This has led to an increase in greenhouse gases, resulting in more frequent and intense droughts, storms, and floods.
• Global biodiversity is in severe decline, with fauna decreasing by two-thirds since 1970 and life in lakes and rivers dropping by 84%. The document warns that the Amazon rainforest could become a dry, shrubby landscape within 50 years if deforestation continues.
• Water scarcity and pollution are critical global issues, with approximately 4 billion people facing severe water shortages for at least one month per year. By 2025, two-thirds of the population could face water shortages, while 1.7 billion people currently lack basic sanitation facilities.
• Air pollution causes over 4 million deaths annually, with at least 3 million resulting from indoor pollution caused by burning coal, wood, and dung for cooking and heating. This disproportionately affects women and children in low- and middle-income countries.
• Industrial agriculture is unsustainable, contributing to approximately one-third of greenhouse gas emissions and causing the loss of fertile soil and biodiversity. The document notes that while one-third of all food is wasted, hunger is increasing in more than 50 countries.
• Overconsumption, particularly by the wealthiest 20% of the population who use 80% of global resources, is driving environmental degradation. Plastic pollution is a primary example, with 12 million tons of plastic entering oceans annually and over 5 trillion pieces of plastic currently floating in the seas.
• Environmental crises exacerbate social inequality, as the poor and marginalized suffer the worst effects despite being the least responsible. By 2050, over 140 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America may be forced to migrate due to climate impacts.

APA

Gill, T. (2023). To κοινό μας σπίτι. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vatican-sei-v10-20231205-gr.pdf

Chicago

Gill, Tom. To κοινό μας σπίτι. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2023. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vatican-sei-v10-20231205-gr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gill |first1=Tom |title=To κοινό μας σπίτι |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=18 September 2023 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vatican-sei-v10-20231205-gr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gill2023, author = {Gill, Tom}, title = {{To κοινό μας σπίτι}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vatican-sei-v10-20231205-gr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }