The Catholic Bishop Conference in a press conference held on the 26th of August, raised awareness about the impact of logging in Papua New Guinea.
The awareness is part of the World Day of Prayer on September 1st initiated by the Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis for the care of creation.
The Catholic Bishop Conference has stood out on behalf of the Church to raise awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability due to the impact logging has caused in PNG.
The CBC General Secretary, Father Giorgio Licini said the prayer day was established to pray for change because people are currently affected by logging.
“When we abuse nature we abuse people and must recover first during the time of Prayer.”
He said CBC took this approach because the logging industry in PNG has consumed a lot of resources causing damage to the environment.
“In PNG there are many areas of concern and that is a sign of lack of lack of care to the environment,” said Father Giorgio Licini.
Father Licinic said during the time of Prayer it is encouraging for people to also be responsible to care for the environment.
The former Archbishop Francesco Panfilo said logging in the country has abstracted a lot of land and resources causing a need to protect the land including the lives of Indigenous people.
“The indigenous people abstract their subsistence and land must be taken care of and be protected,” he added.
“What kind of world is this for the children growing up?”
Archbishop Francesco Panfilo said the church is not against logging, instead, they want a 'fair and just' logging that is not only logged but at the same time undergoes deforestation for environmental protection that will be sustained for the younger generation.