VATICAN: The Vatican Denounces EACOP Project, Asks Governments to Invest in Environment Friendly Enterprises
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (PIHD) has condemned the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) also known as Uganda–Tanzania Crude Oil Pipeline (UTCOP), calling on the governments concerned to be considerate of “our common home” and invest in environment friendly projects that preserve the ecosystem.
In a message shared with AMECEA online Saturday, March 26, the leadership of the Dicastery of PIHD affirmed that “the Catholic Church stands with the people of Uganda and Tanzania in denouncing the EACOP project and asking the two governments to look into investing in projects that are in line with preserving and caring for our common home, the poor, and the economy.”
The coordinator of the Ecology and Creation Sector Fr. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam highlighted that, “the earth and the poor in Uganda are crying out against EACOP, and if we want a peaceful, sustainable world, we must stop the EACOP and transition out of crude oil into renewable sources of energy.”
“Catholic Social Teaching recognizes that climate change is a grave moral issue that threatens every living being in our common home,” reads part of the Saturday message and it explains further, “It also has negative impacts on our efforts to protect human life, health, dignity, security, always with a preferential option for the poor, as well as the promotion of the common good of which the climate is a part; to live in subsidiarity and solidarity with current and future generations, to realise peace and to care for God’s good gift of creation.”
Addressing members of multinational institutions who are supporting and promoting the use of coal, oil and gas in emerging countries in Africa and everywhere, Fr. Kureethadam stressed in the message: “It is high time that they divested these funds to the renewable sector. Renewable energy has the potential to drive big economies, create sustainable jobs and bring down the huge electricity bills brought by the overreliance on fossil fuels.”
Fr. Kureethadam underscored that the significant causes of climate change are “human-induced and mainly comprise the excessive and fast-paced consumption of fossil fuels energy.”
Borrowing from Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si’ on care for our common home, the Rome-based cleric discloses that the goal of overuse and fast-paced way of life “are not geared towards the betterment of the common good or integral development and can become a source of anxiety, inflicting pain to both the poor and the common good.”
“In Uganda and Tanzania, our attention has been drawn to grave injustices awaiting the poor and creation through a proposed East African Crude Oil Pipeline in the East African sub-region. The EACOP project is estimated to contribute up to 34 million tonnes of CO2 every year, adding to the already overburdened atmosphere,” reads the Saturday message.
Members of the Vatican Dicastery for PIHD are hopeful that all efforts, united together, have the potential of promoting the Laudato Si’ dialogue to every person.
“We pray this unity leads to a change of heart so that the world stops the expansion of fossil fuel, biodiversity collapse, and the climate crisis,” they said.
The EACOP is a proposed 1,445-kilometer pipeline that will transport oil from Hoima, Uganda to the port of Tanga in Tanzania.
