Pope Francis Encyclical To Help Climate Change Mitigation in MW

Pope Francis 'letter' Encyclical 'Laudato Si' meaning 'Praise God' has received a warm welcome from Malawi Government as a document that complements efforts on climate change mitigation.

Encyclical 'Laudato Si' launched in Malawi Tuesday night in the Capital city Lilongwe

"It is extremely fortunate that the Encyclical 'Laudato Si' is moving extremely in tandem with government plans, policies and actions on climate change" said Honorable Bright Msaka, Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining who graced the occasion as guest of honor

"This is not one man's effort we must collaborate in order to achieve the intended objective." Said Msaka

"The Catholic Church has a very broad reach in Malawi. If this Encyclical is going to be read in all Catholic churches in Malawi and listened to by all the Catholics, then we will have a very critical mass there of Christians in the Catholics church supporting government effort to achieve the kind of actions we want to undertake."

The Minister also assured that government is making positive strides on conservation and address issues of climate change conservation. 

"This Government is doing everything it can to ensure that nature is preserved" said Msaka 

"We would like to assure the nation that we will leave nothing undone to ensure that the environment is protected. We will reduce and eliminate green house gases and everything that is depleting ozone layer and that goes with it" he said 

His Grace Thomas Msusa

Speaking on the Encyclical 'Laudato Si', Bishop Chairman for the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, His Grace, Thomas Msusa said "Climate change is here" and that Pope Francis in his Encyclical 'Laudato Si', looks back what God did. 

"Before creating human beings God created nature; trees, plants and other things and then human person was put in that creation." Said Msusa

"So Pope Francis as he looks back sees nature, and that the world is not as it was before. Pope Francis is concerned about the co-existence of human beings and nature. We are related with nature, we are part of nature. However, people are destroying the nature." He said 

"Pope Francis is urging us to take care of our natural resources and all what God created. He wants us to be responsible. He calls us to receive this message to look and think of climate change. It is there and we have to control it" urged ECM Bishop chairman

Arch Bishop Msusa further urged Malawians to take care of their natural resources, "Here in Malawi there is wanton cutting down of trees, burning of bushes unnecessarily. But let us replant trees, take care of our natural resources so that our future generation can also enjoy what God created"

Speed Climate Policy Enactment Urge Catholic Church

His Grace Thomas Msusa 

Catholic Church in Malawi has emphasided the importance of enactment of all legislations that may support in mitigating the continued effects of climate change. 

Malawi has this year experienced worst climate change effects following erratic rainfall and floods in most parts of the country. 

The Bishop Chairman for the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) His Grace, Thomas Msusa has asked Malawi Government to speed up the process of enacting all policies that addresses the climate change mitigation.

Msusa was speaking at on Tuesday night in the Capital city, Lilongwe during the launch of Pope Francis Encyclical 'Laudato Si' which calls the world to protect and preserve the environment.

"Surely in Malawi we are affected seriously about climate change." Said Msusa Arch Bishop of Blantyre Arch Diocese then gave an example of recent adverse floods and drought which hit most parts of the country as a vivid sign that climate issues needs serious attention.

"So we would like to see government which is concerned with the welfare of poor people to speed enactment of climate policy" urged Msusa

"We are agro-based economy." He said, "We would like to invite political leaders, government and religious leaders and everyone to have an advocacy on these policies that government should speed up enactment of Agriculture policy and Climate policy" adding that this will help people to have proper direction on taking care of environment

Hon Bright Msaka 

Responding to the call, Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Hon. Bright Msaka who was at the launch a guest of honor said Government is "making huge progress" on process of enactment of legislations that are deals with climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Msaka said; "We are leaving nothing undone to ensure that we address the effects of climate change, mitigate and adapt"  

He explained "There are many pieces of legislation that are already addressing the issue of environment. We have Forest Act which is in existence and that is going to be amended shortly, we have Forest Policy that is under process now and is before cabinet and it was last week discussed by the Cabinet Committee responsible of these matters and was passed.

"Similarly the Climate Change Management Policy was discussed by the Committee of Cabinet and the Committee referred the document to Cabinet."

He then assured "Passage of Climate Change Policy by Cabinet will be in matter of weeks when cabinet meets and discuss on it. Be assured that Climate Change Policy and Agriculture Policy are to be enacted soon and we are making huge progress on this".