Notes in CFE 5B – CICM Mission in Action: Environment Protection and Management

Chapter 3
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT

Lesson 3
OTHER LINES OF APPROACH AND ACTION

CONTEXT
Song Analysis
Play this music video of Paraiso (by Smokey Mountain):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3q_bPiXnOc. Feel and understand its message
as you watch or sing along with it.

Processing
- What is/are the message/s of the song?
- What do you think is the intention why the song was written?
- Which lines of the song struck you the most? Why?

Deepening
You might have realized how fragile the world is. So much destruction is
happening bringing sufferings to many people all over the world. Treating our material
environment as mere object of profit and exploitation goes against the spirit of the
Christian scriptures.

INSPIRED WORD OF GOD: On Polluting and Defiling the Land (Numbers 35:33-34)
33 [The LORD instructed Moses to tell the Israelites:] “You will not pollute

the land where you live. For bloodshed pollutes the land, and the land can
have no expiation for the blood shed on it except through the blood of the
one who shed it.
34 Do not defile the land in which you live and in the midst of which I

dwell; for I the LORD dwell in the midst of the Israelites.”

It may be out of date to say that the Bible addresses environmental issues because
there were none during the ancient times. Nevertheless, this passage from the book of
Numbers gives an insight about pollution and defilement of the earth.
Ours is a finite earth is one of the seven environmental principles. The earth’s
resources can be classified as either renewable or nonrenewable. Renewable resources are
those that can easily be replenished by natural cycles (e.g. water, air, plants and animals)
while nonrenewable resources are those that cannot be replenished through natural
cycles (e.g. ores of various metals, oil, coal).
Although renewable resources can be replenished, it is important to note that these
are renewable only as long as they are neither overused nor destroyed from such factors
as pollution. To ensure that these resources will continually be replenished, it is essential
to know how much of a resource can be consumed at a given time to balance the rate to
exploitation with the rate of replenishment.
Just how long would the earth be able to sustain demands on its resources? This is
a question that needs serious reflection. Unless the factors of population growth,
lifestyles, and polluting technologies are checked, the collapse of the earth might be
inevitable.
Awareness of the earth’s limited resources leads to a conscious effort to change
one’s consumerist attitude as well as to develop process and technology that would bring
about effective recycling of a great number of resources.

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Notes in CFE 5B – CICM Mission in Action: Environment Protection and Management
CHURCH TEACHING
Catholic Social Teaching and Environment Protection and Management
There are elements of Catholic Social Teaching, which may serve as basis for
environment protection and management.
In the encyclical Populorum Progressio (The Development of Peoples, 1967), Saint
Paul VI criticized modernization’s harmful effect on nature and called on the
governments to help the poor (§§ 48-49, 71, 74, 81, 83-85).
Saint Paul VI, in the encyclical Octogesima Adveniens (A Call to Action, 1971),
criticized the destructive consequences of development based only on economics while
disregarding the welfare of all (§ 23). The environment is being destroyed in the name of
economic development.
In Justice in the World (1971), the Synod of Bishops criticized the wealthy countries
and admonished them to share their wealth in the name of real justice (§§ 70, 11-12).
Wealthy countries cannot accumulate wealth at the expense of the poor majority and the
environment.
Saint John Paul II was worried about the destructive effect of the rapid
development of technology on the environment. In the encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis
(The Social Concerns of the Church, 1987), he said that humans should not abuse other
creation based only on their whims and caprices. Humans should consider the limitation
of creation and ensure its sustainability. Furthermore, humans need to respect life in the
whole of creation because all other creatures also possess dignity (§ 34).
In Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth, 2009), Pope Benedict XVI proposed three
significant ecological positions as follows: the importance of intergenerational justice,
which ensure the welfare of the environment for the good of the future generations; the
need to treat the environment as we would treat our fellow humans; and the injunction
to take care of humanity (§§ 48-51). Based on these positions, he called on the leaders of
nations to promote peace through the protection of the environment.
Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel, 2013), compared the
“exploited poor” and the “exploited environment”. For him, both are fragile and
defenseless. In this encyclical, he criticized the market economy and how it excludes the
poor in its pursuit of profit; it also “devours everything which stands in the way” like the
environment, which is “defenseless before the interest of the deified market” (§ 26).
“There are other weak and defenseless beings who are frequently at the mercy of
economic interests or indiscriminate exploitation. I am speaking of creation as a whole.”
(§ 215).

Mining
The Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (Republic Act 7942) is the main policy/
legislation which governs all mining operations in the country and includes various
measures to protect the environment and defines areas in which mining can be allowed.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued on February
28, 1998 A Statement of Concern on the Mining Act of 1995 that highlighted the ill effects of
mining operations both on the environment and on the people, particularly indigenous
communities. In such statement, the CBCP declared that the government mining policy
is offering our lands to foreigners with liberal conditions while our people continue to
grow in poverty. They also stated that the adverse social impact on the affected
communities far outweigh the gains promised by mining Trans-National Corporations
(TNCs).
On January 29, 2006, the CBCP issued another Statement on Mining Issues and
Concerns where they reaffirm their stand for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995. They
believe that the Mining Act destroys life. The right to life of people is inseparable from
their right to sources of food and livelihood. Allowing the interests of big mining
corporations to prevail over people’s right to these sources amounts to violating their
right to life. Furthermore, mining threatens people’s health and environmental safety
through the wanton dumping of waste and tailings in rivers and seas.
Twenty years after issuing What is Happening to our Beautiful Land? (A Pastoral
Letter on Ecology), the CBCP issued Upholding the Sanctity of Life. Pondering on
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irresponsible mining, the Bishops wrote that the Church joins in the collective and
continuous call against the uncontrollable plunder of our natural resources. Above all, it
calls on a moratorium on mining activities until the government and the mining
companies learn to uphold the right of the indigenous peoples, compensate the affected
communities for past damages, and ensure responsible mining practices.

Deforestation and Reforestation

In Upholding the Sanctity of Life, the CBCP reflected also on illegal logging. In it, the
Bishops wrote: “Illegal and destructive logging largely contribute to the decimation of
our forest resources which causes loss of biodiversity, instability and massive erosions of
upland soils, serious damage to our rivers and underground freshwater ecosystems, and
coastal areas. The Philippines has lost at least 82 percent of its original forest cover since
the 16th century. It has also earned the notoriety in Southeast Asia as the only country
with the thinnest forest cover… Land conversion, together with slash-and-burn farming,
forest fires, pest infestations, typhoons and illegal logging are the primary causes of
deforestation.” The CBCP calls for “an enhanced multisectoral cooperation, and the
implementation of effective measures to clampdown the illegal logging trade. In
particular, it urges the government to issue a total commercial log ban and intensify
efforts to rehabilitate and reforest logged over areas, particularly those places vulnerable
to earthquakes, landslides and floods.”
As enjoined by the United Nations General Assembly last February 20, 2013, the
International Day of Forests is celebrated every March 21. On this occasion, let us not
miss the forest for the trees on another great truth rooted deeply in our midst. Trees are
friends: bearing fruit, shade and beauty wherever they are planted. They are also
necessary allies in achieving planetary sustainability, food security and poverty
eradication.
By virtue of Proclamation No. 643, National Arbor Day is celebrated every June
25. This enjoins the active participation of all government agencies, including
government-owned and controlled corporations, private sector, schools, civil society
groups and the citizenry in tree planting activities.

Clean Air
Laudato Si cites some negative effects of various forms of air pollution. “Exposure
to atmospheric pollutants produces a broad spectrum of health hazards, especially for
the poor, and causes millions of premature deaths. People take sick, for example, from
breathing high levels of smoke from fuels used in cooking or heating. There is also
pollution that affects everyone, caused by transport, industrial fumes, substances which
contribute to the acidification of soil and water, fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides,
herbicides and agrotoxins in general.” Laudato Si also highlights the urgent need to
reduce the emission of polluting gases through substituting for fossil fuels and
developing sources of renewable energy.
The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (Republic Act 8749) outlines the
government’s measures to reduce air pollution and incorporate environmental protection
into its development plans. It relies heavily on the polluter pays principle and other
market-based instruments to promote self-regulation among the population. It sets
emission standards for all motor vehicles and issues pollutant limitations for industry.
By virtue of RA 8749 and Proclamation No. 1109, Philippine Clean Air Month is
observed every November.

Clean Water
The Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 (Republic Act 9275) pursues a policy of
economic growth in a manner consistent with the protection, preservation and revival of
the quality of our fresh, brackish and marine waters.
In Water is Life, the CBCP calls for a concerted effort by the laity, the national
government, local government units, non-government organizations, the scientific
community and the Church to address the problem of water insecurity and the urgency
to protect our remaining watersheds. The Bishops wrote that “water insecurity is one of
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the most serious environmental problems facing the country today and it is not the kind
of problem that can be solved overnight.”
World Water Day was observed starting in 1993 every March 22, in conformity
with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development as contained in the Fresh Water Resources Chapter of Agenda 21. As part
of the observance of the 2020 World Water Day, the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting
Integral Human Development published Aqua Fons Vitae. Orientations on Water: Symbol of
the Cry of the Poor and the Cry of the Earth. The document, meant to support the human
right to clean water, reminds us that “by means of the water made holy by the Spirit,”
God gives us life and renews us. The way we respect water is an indicator of how we are
“taking care of the early garden” entrusted to us. In observance of World Water Day, we
educate ourselves and others about the challenges the world faces in ensuring access to
clean water: the holy source of all life.

Earth Day
The International Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22 since 1970. Earth
Day, which kick-started the environmental movement, is the largest secular civic event
in the world, with 193 countries demonstrating support for environmental protection. All
people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy
and sustainable environment. An educated, energized population will take actions to
secure a healthy future for itself and its children.
The theme for Earth Day 2021 is Restore Our Earth™, which focuses on natural
processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the
world’s ecosystems. In this way, the theme rejects the notion that mitigation or adaptation
are the only ways to address climate change. It is up to each and every one of us to Restore
Our Earth not just because we care about the natural world, but because we live on it. We
all need a healthy Earth to support our jobs, livelihoods, health & survival, and
happiness. A healthy planet is not an option — it is a necessity.

MISSIONARY RESPONSE
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, in its 2019 Pastoral Letter An
Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion, Hope in the Face of Climate Emergency, recommends
some measures which we can do to protect and manage our environment:
1. Do not allow the financial resources of our [Catholic] institutions to be invested in
favor of coal-fired power plants, mining companies and other destructive
extractive projects. Divestment from such investment portfolios must be
encouraged.
2. Prevent and reduce biodiversity loss by growing indigenous plants and trees,
expanding forests through rain forestation, resisting destructive mining, dirty
energy, the unbridled construction of roads and dams, as well as projects that cut
into forested and protected areas. Implement programs that will allow the growth
and recovery of forests, ecosystems and biodiversity.
3. Push for an immediate transition to safe, clean, and affordable energy. Ensure just
and fair transition to renewable energy sources and reject false solutions; support
the use of solar power in our homes and institutions; promote, advocate and invest
in renewable energy (solar, hydro, wind and geothermal power); join the
campaign to immediately phase out coal-fired power plants and all other plants
dependent on fossil-fuel, including coal mining.
4. Protect our watersheds while at the same time using fresh water wisely, promoting
and establishing massive rainwater collection, and putting a stop to infrastructures
that can be detrimental to the preservation of ecological balance and biodiversity.

Here are the five pillars of restoring our Earth, according to EarthDay.org:
1. The Canopy Project™. $1 = 1 tree. The Canopy Project partners with groups
around the world to ensure that your donation sustainably plants trees for a
greener future for everyone.
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2. Food and Environment. To feed the world, we must adopt the latest techniques to
support farmers, renew their land, and capture carbon through regenerative
agriculture and sustainable food practices.
3. The Great Global Clean-up™. When it comes to individual action for the common
good, one of the best ways that people can make an impact for our planet is by
cleaning up our public spaces. Our pollution problem is getting out of hand and
our environment is suffering for it. Open landfills emit dangerous greenhouse
gasses, waste and pollution that enter our oceans and freshwater. Microplastics
even make it into our food and the air we breathe.
4. Climate Literacy. Fifty years ago, the first Earth Day started an environmental
revolution. Now, we are igniting an education revolution to save the planet. We
are ensuring that students across the world benefit from high-quality education to
develop into informed and engaged environmental stewards.
5. Global Earth Challenge™. This gives citizen scientists the power to make the
world a better place. Global Earth Challenge™ is the world’s largest-ever
coordinated citizen science campaign. The initiative works to integrate existing
citizen science projects, as well as build the capacity for new ones — all as part of
a larger effort to grow citizen science worldwide.

References:
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. (1998, February 28). A Statement of
Concern on the Mining Act of 1995. https://cbcponline.net/a-statement-of-concern-
on-the-mining-act-of-1995/
_______________. (2006, January 29). A Statement on Mining Issues and Concerns.
https://cbcponline.net/a-statement-on-mining-issues-and-concerns-do-not-
defile-the-land-where-you-live-and-where-i-dwell-num-3534/
_______________. (2019, July 16). An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion, Hope in the Face
of Climate Emergency. https://cbcponline.net/an-urgent-call-for-ecological-
conversion-hope-in-the-face-of-climate-emergency/
_______________. (2008, November 05). Upholding the Sanctity of Life.
https://cbcponline.net/upholding-the-sanctity-of-life-20-years-after-the-cbcp-
pastoral-letter-what-is-happening-to-our-beautiful-land/
_______________. (2000, July 05). Water is Life. https://cbcponline.net/water-is-life/
Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines. (2018). JEEPGY Manual. Catholic
Educational Association of the Philippines.
EarthDay.org. (n.d.). Earth Day 2021 | Restore Our Earth™.
https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/
_______________. (n.d.). Toolkit | Earth Day 2021: Restore Our Earth.
https://www.earthday.org/toolkit-earth-day-2021-restore-our-earth/
Francis. (2015, May 24). Laudato ’Si: Encyclical Letter on the Care for our Common Home.
vatican.va.
http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-
francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html

Prepared by:
MICHAEL ANGELO F. EMPIZO
Saint Louis College, City of San Fernando, La Union
Third Sunday of Easter
April 18, 2021

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