Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bali (Agenzia Fides) - Bali will be the world capital of ecology for a few days when experts from all over the world meet to discuss climate and global warming from 3 to 14 December. The meeting is sponsored by the United Nations Organisation. The 180 national delegations will discuss post-Kyoto, planetary strategies and set definitive goals in the struggle to reduce climate change. The meeting will also be an opportunity to look at the situation in Indonesia, a country with great natural resources being eroded by discriminate exploitation and by natural disasters.
At the meeting Indonesian civil society will be well represented: environment associations, intellectuals and scientists, religious communities, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist and Hindu, members of various Catholic commissions for justice and peace and protection of creation.
The participants will strive to identify solutions and political changes necessary to prevent continual damage and erosion of natural resources, particularly Indonesia's hard hit natural patrimony. In Indonesia experts warn that the registered 2-3% less rainfall especially in wet seasons will increase the threat of drought and consequently poorer harvests, hunger and economic loss. In this situation Indonesia cannot progress in the fight against hunger and poverty. On the other hand ever more frequent floods, earthquakes cause major damage both rural and urban areas. The effects of climate change are felt all over the Asia-Pacific region, but especially in Indonesia: uncontrolled and often illegal deforestation does the rest, causing tensions and discontent in various parts of the country, especially Indonesian Papua and in Borneo, triggering uprisings and social instability. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 30/11/2007 righe 28 parole 285)
