The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns joined a coalition of faith-based organizations and religious communities in celebrating President Biden's decision to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, recognizing it as an important first step toward addressing climate change. 

Read the statement as a PDF

January 21, 2021

As religious communities representing a broad spectrum of faith traditions, we know that we have the responsibility to care for the earth and protect human health, especially for the most vulnerable. We applaud President Biden for his actions taken to rejoin the Paris Agreement, an historic agreement that is an invaluable step towards addressing climate change and ensuring that we are faithful stewards of God’s creation.

As we join together again with our global neighbors, we know that the United States must implement the necessary measures to ensure that this country does its part in lowering greenhouse gas emissions by investing in more clean energy and electricity. Reaching the Paris agreement’s goal of holding global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius requires global leadership, transformative action here in the U.S., and support for our sisters and brothers worldwide through funding to assist poor nations seeking to develop sustainable, low-carbon economies.

Statement Signers:
Bread for the World
Christian Reformed Church Office of Social Justice
Church World Service
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
Creation Justice Ministries
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Franciscan Action Network
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team
The Episcopal Church
Union for Reform Judaism
The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society
United Methodist Women
United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministries
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee