Impact of Environment on the Poor

“Making the poor a priority is a defining element of the church’s contribution to the environmental debate. The poor are vulnerable to environmental hazards.” “Poor families often live on the margins of society: in urban areas where their housing is poor, or in rural areas, where the land is overused, in flood plains or subject to drought.

They often live near toxic dumps, where housing is cheaper.

Some hold jobs that people of higher incomes would not consider, jobs that expose poorer workers directly to environmental toxins.

In debates about the environment, the poor and vulnerable workers are often out of sight and have no voice.

“In serving the poor, the Catholic community has increasingly focused on environmental justice.

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is helping poorer communities struggle with environmental health problems—pesticides, for example, that poison farm workers. Catholic Charities USA is training housing counselors to help low-income mothers learn how to protect their children from household toxic materials. Catholic hospitals and health care facilities are finding ways to lessen the harmful effects of medical waste treatment and to address health threats resulting from environmental damage.

“The Catholic environmental commitment extends beyond the local community and includes global issues.

In their statement Global Climate Change, the bishops insist we need not understand everything about the science of climate change to know it poses serious consequences for humans and the planet itself. Prudence calls for action on behalf of future generations, but the search for the common good is often overwhelmed by powerful competing interests and polarizing claims and tactics.

In these struggles, the voices of the poor are missing. But their special needs must not be lost sight of as the richer countries struggle over the potential costs of climate change to their societies.

For the remainder of the article see AMERICA January 19-26, 2004 pp12 ff.