Against the backdrop of a United Nations summit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the shipping industry, Catholic institutions that are connected to the oceans are announcing their divestment from fossil fuels. These include institutions in Panama, the world’s largest shipping registry, the Philippines, home to the largest group of seafarers, Greece, the world’s largest shipowning nation, and port cities across Europe.
The announcements were made at a Vatican-convened conference, The Common Good and Our Common Seas, which explored Catholic teaching on protection of the marine environment. The Catholic conference coincides with a highly anticipated meeting of the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, the UN agency charged with coordinating security and environmental protection for the world’s shipping industry.