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The Malawi Government<br />
welcomes Pope Francis Encyclical<br />
to help Climate Change Mitigation<br />
Pope Francis Encyclical<br />
letter ‘Laudato Si,’ meaning<br />
‘Praise God’ was launched<br />
in Malawi, with positive welcome<br />
by Government as a document<br />
that complements efforts on climate<br />
change mitigation.<br />
Speaking on the Encyclical,<br />
Bishop Chairman for the Episcopal<br />
Conference of Malawi, His<br />
Grace Thomas Msusa said:<br />
“Climate change is here” and that<br />
Pope Francis, in his Encyclical,<br />
looks back on what God did.<br />
He asked the Malawi Government<br />
to speed up the process of enacting<br />
all policies that address<br />
climate change mitigation. “Surely<br />
in Malawi we are seriously<br />
affected by climate change,” he<br />
pointed out mentioning the recent<br />
adverse floods and drought that<br />
hit most parts of the country as a<br />
vivid sign that climate issues<br />
needs serious attention.<br />
Since Malawi has an agro-based<br />
economy, he invited political leaders,<br />
government and religious<br />
leaders and everyone else to advocate<br />
on agricultural and climate<br />
policies to help people have<br />
proper direction to know how to<br />
take care of the environment.<br />
“Before creating human beings<br />
God created nature: trees, plants<br />
and other things and then human<br />
person was put in that creation,”<br />
said the Archbishop.<br />
“So Pope Francis as he looks back<br />
sees nature, and that the world is<br />
not as it was before. Pope Francis<br />
is concerned about the co-existence<br />
of human beings and nature.<br />
We are related with nature, we are<br />
part of nature. However, people<br />
are destroying nature,” he said.<br />
“Pope Francis wants us to be<br />
responsible. He calls us to receive<br />
this message, to look and think of<br />
climate change. It is there and we<br />
have to control it,” urged the<br />
Archbishop.<br />
He further called upon Malawians<br />
to take care of their natural resources:<br />
“Here in Malawi there is<br />
wanton cutting down of trees,<br />
burning of bushes unnecessarily.<br />
But let us replant trees, take care<br />
of our natural resources so that our<br />
future generation can also enjoy<br />
what God created.”<br />
Responding to the call, Honourable<br />
Bright Msaka, Minister of<br />
Natural Resources, Energy and<br />
Mining, who graced the occasion<br />
as guest of honour said that it is<br />
extremely fortunate that the<br />
Encyclical is moving extremely in<br />
tandem with government” plans,<br />
policies and actions on climate<br />
change. He explained: “There are<br />
many pieces of legislation that are<br />
already addressing the issue of<br />
Caritas Africa Info: page/página 22<br />
His Grace Archbishop Thomas Msusa.<br />
Honourable Minister Bright Msaka.<br />
environment. We have the Forest<br />
Act which is in existence and that<br />
is going to be amended shortly, we<br />
have Forest Policy that is under<br />
process now and is before cabinet<br />
and it was last week discussed by<br />
the Cabinet Committee responsible<br />
of these matters and was<br />
passed. (…) Similarly, the Climate<br />
Change Management Policy was<br />
discussed by (Continued on page 23)
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