The encyclical issued by Pope Francis in 2015 titled Laudato Si, highlighted the ecological emergency faced by the planet and called for the people of the world to take swift and unified action. In Laudato Deum, issued in 2023, Pope Francis highlights the inadequate response to the ecological emergency.
The Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust is committed to taking immediate action to create a sustainable future for our young people and in doing so protect the most vulnerable in our society and around the world. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, quoted in Laudato Deum, highlight that it is the most vulnerable people who suffer the most from the devastating effects of climate change.
“Our care for one another and our care for the earth are intimately bound together. Climate change is one of the principal challenges facing society and the global community. The effects of climate change are borne by the most vulnerable people, whether at home or around the world”
Our Ambition
Our Trust will be place where we have a positive impact on the environment and where we instil in all, the courage to be an agent of change. We will be outward-facing and work to make the world a better place. We are committed to going beyond net-zero, ensuring our entire environmental footprint is carbon neutral without investing in external carbon offset initiatives. We will work with our schools, pupils, diocese and beyond to develop Trust-wide sustainability. We will actively encourage others to share our values and to live them. In doing so, we will make the world a better place.
Key Themes
Our environmental sustainability strategic action plan is divided into three key themes. Each of these themes contribute towards our overarching strategic objective to make the world a better place. For each area of the plan, we have detailed our objectives, our success criteria and established a road map, detailing the key milestones required to achieve our aims. Each area is intrinsically linked to the United Nations Goals for Sustainable Development.