In the latest issue of the Messenger magazine, Columban Fr Seán McDonagh praises the Irish Bishops’ support for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
In his article for the Jesuit publication’s 2026 Season of Creation issue (1 Sept-4 Oct) issue Fr Seán writes: “It is encouraging that the Irish bishops have recognised the need to provide havens for nature by decreeing that parishes should return 30 percent of church grounds to nature by 2030 and by offering support to the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty currently being advocated for by several countries in international fora.”
He continues: “As Pope Francis said in Laudato Si’, “we must examine our lives and acknowledge the ways in which we have harmed God’s creation through our actions or our failure to act.”
“Ultimately it comes down to making those we have elected to safeguard our future hear our voices.”
In October 2025, the Bishops expressed their collective support for the joint Trócaire and Laudato Si’ Working Group (LSWG) campaign for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
On behalf of LSWG, Bishop Martin Hayes said: “Emissions due to the use of fossil fuels have been identified as the main driver of the climate crisis. Despite commitments by Western governments to reduce the extraction of oil, gas and coal from the Earth, the fossil fuel multinationals continue to expand their plans for further exploration. It means that countries and companies continue to approve and fund new fossil fuel projects.”
“While the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Agreement in Parish (COP21) agreed on a limit of 1.5 degree Celsius, it does not mention fossil fuels as the main driver of the rise in global climate temperatures. Therefore, the need for a binding commitment to end the expansion of new coal, oil and gas projects – and to accelerate a global transition away from fossil fuels, ie a global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty – is urgent.”
“Currently, a bloc of 17 countries, consisting mainly of island nations which are under threat of rising sea levels due to climate change, are leading the campaign for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. These small island nations who, in a dark irony, are the least cause of global warming, need our support.”
Bishop Hayes continued: “Such a global treaty is necessary to ensure that fossil fuels remain in the ground to prevent further increases in our global temperature. Also, the treaty can lead to a greater focus on the expansion of renewal energy sources in which no worker, community or country is left behind. Global treaties have been successful in limiting the use of nuclear weapons and landmines.”
“At the recent successful Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM) ‘Raising Hope’ conference in Rome, Pope Leo XIV concluded his address with the question: “God will ask us if we have cultivated and cared for the world that He created, and if we have taken care of our brothers and sisters. What will be our answer?”
On behalf of the Irish Bishops, Bishop Hayes, concluded: “In this context, we support the joint call by Trócaire, and the Laudato Si’ Working Group, on the Government of Ireland to extend its backing to the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty campaign that will be advocated for during the forthcoming COP30 (30th UN Climate Change Agreement) negotiations that will take place from 6 – 21 November in Belém, Brazil.”