RVA-Laudato Si’ Movement Asia Pacific Webinar Urges Faster Shift to Renewable Energy

Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) and the Laudato Si’ Movement Asia Pacific have called for faster action toward renewable energy in the Asia-Pacific region through a webinar held during the month-long Season of Creation.

The online discussion on September 23 brought together three resource speakers who shared perspectives and practical experiences on transitioning to sustainable energy and responding to the climate crisis.

Fr. Stephen Ki Suk Yang, executive secretary of the Committee for Ecology and Environment of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, said dioceses and parishes need clear carbon-neutrality roadmaps to guide their transition to renewable energy.

“The transition to a sustainable society means the restoration of the Order of Creation through ecological conversion,” Fr. Yang said. “The key topic in this era of climate crisis is carbon neutrality.”

He said meaningful carbon neutrality requires a transition to sustainable energy, noting that individual actions such as reducing single-use plastics have a relatively limited impact on overall carbon reduction.

Fr. Yang also highlighted initiatives by the Dioceses of Daejeon, Suwon and Jeonju in South Korea, which established the “Catholic Coalition for the Preservation of Creation” to promote the phaseout of nuclear energy and a shift toward environmentally sustainable sources of power.

Ian Rivera of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice highlighted the continued dependence of Asia-Pacific countries on coal and other fossil fuels and expressed concern about their contribution to rising greenhouse gas emissions.

“It’s better for this region to move to the use of renewables, because every inch of increase in global temperature is really detrimental to these vulnerable countries,” Rivera said.

He noted that China, Indonesia and India are among the world's largest producers and consumers of coal.

Rivera also cited an initiative in the Philippines involving the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice and the Province of Albay, which is targeting full dependence on renewable energy by 2030.

Sr. Ida Ferrao, a member of the Union of Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM) in India, shared how her congregation has incorporated ecological conversion into its community life.

“We are committed to a spirituality of being in communion that seeks God in the interconnectedness of the whole of creation and empowers active love for self, others, and all of nature,” Sr. Ferrao said.

She said most of the congregation’s communities have installed solar water-heating systems and solar panels, while some are experimenting with biogas as an alternative to liquefied petroleum gas.

The webinar formed part of an RVA–Laudato Si’ Movement Asia Pacific initiative to create space for dialogue and sharing of practical responses to the ecological crisis in the region.

The discussion brought together experiences from South Korea, the Philippines and India, highlighting different approaches to renewable energy transition within Church and community settings.

The September 23 webinar was the first in a planned series of discussions. The second session is scheduled to take place during Laudato Si’ Week in May 2027.