Catholic environmentalists head to Rio

Groups to advocate for world sustainability

A man takes picture of national flags fluttering at Copacabana Fort in Rio de Janeiro June 11. Delegates will gather for the U.N. Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development June 20-22 to try to map a sustainable course for the world's 7 billion people. Ricardo Moraes / CNS.

Catholic organizations will be among many from around the world who will gather in Rio de Janeiro, June 20-22, for the U.N. Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development. Lise Alves of Catholic News Service details some of the objectives the Catholic groups hope to see from the conference:

Three sets of people will be in Rio: world government officials, nongovernmental organizations of the U.N. system -- including some representatives of religious -- and civil society groups, which include social and religious groups. These groups will be trying to find solutions to three main challenges: controlling climate change; designing a new architecture of global governance; and moving to a new model of civilization.

 The Vatican will be represented by Sao Paulo Cardinal Odilo Scherer, Pope Benedict XVI's special envoy to the Rio+20 conference. 

Among these nongovernmental organizations and institutions are several Catholic-based groups. For instance, members of the international alliance of Catholic development agencies, CIDSE, are expected not only to host one of the official side events on the right to food and climate, but also will help organize several workshops at the People's Summit.

Read the full story at The B.C. Catholic website.