In a message to the United Nations Rio+20 Earth Summit being held in Brazil this month, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has challenged national leaders and delegates to look beyond the surface of ecological afflictions in order to probe their root causes.

‘In order to probe these deeper realms, which we might call ‘an ecology of heart and mind’, we must first perceive the world as having a spiritual as well as a physical dimension. This means that the world is a sacred place as well as our only home. Thus, as a world with finite resources, we must temper our attitudes by reducing our demands on the natural order. We must distinguish between our greed and others’ need ... We can either have a humane world with justice for all, or a polluted, degraded and angry world without justice.’

Archbishop Bartholomew identifies a need for standards to evaluate the systems and actions of society,

‘Commercial and political structures must be evaluated to determine whether or not they enhance or deplete the natural systems of the earth. Those that cannot pass the test of sustainability must be corrected or rejected. All activities must maintain the fruitfulness of the earth’s biological systems. Unless we integrate the lifestyle of humanity into the ecosystem of the planet, we will bequeath only pain and suffering to the future...’

Full text of the Message from His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the United Nations Rio+20 Earth Summit (Rio de Janiero, June 20-22, 2012). PDF Document.