Speaking at the opening of the first national conference on the Catholic Church and the environment, the archbishop listed the Church’s expectations of the commission.

It should expose the intrinsic link between safeguarding the environment and the Catholic faith, he said. The commission should set up an environmental policy guide for the Catholic Church and all its Maltese followers and make technical suggestions to the Church authorities on environmental issues.

He said the commission should raise awareness and promote education on the environment among lay people and Catholic schools and groups to highlight every Catholic person’s responsibility towards the environment. Archbishop Mercieca also said the commission must work toward bringing this responsibility into practical and concrete initiatives.

Every two months the Catholic Church is handing out leaflets with a prayer and information on an aspect of the local environment, he said. This is one of the initiatives the commission has already taken up.

The commission also presented the Church authorities with a technical report on its proposals for the development of interim landfills, continued the archbishop.

As time passes, the link between safeguarding the environment and Catholicism is always highlighted, he said. Each and every person must contribute to protect the environment for today’s society and future generations.

There is a serious conflict between the environment and economic development, he said. Development must be sustainable and respect fundamental human rights, the whole of humanity and creation. Natural resources should not be wasted or abused. Archbishop Mercieca went on to stress the importance of love and respect for animals.

The conference was organised to create a formal dialogue between the Catholic faith and environmental issues concerning Maltese society.