“Robust evidence is as crucial as ever, but what drives people’s actions is their values, and their sense of their place in the world. By combining our organizations’ respective strengths, we have produced a booklet that I believe will be very compelling and useful to readers. At a time when many people feel hopeless, like they can’t possibly make a difference, this guide shows they can – both individually, and by advocating collectively for systemic change,” said SEI Executive Director Måns Nilsson.

The guide, released today at a virtual event, is available in English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish, as a 20-page printed booklet, and online at sei.org/ourcommonhome/. In both formats, it combines beautiful photography and graphics with succinct summaries of the science on each topic, a clear outline of what needs to change, and ways to take action. Quotations from Laudato si’ introduce each section, and the Pope’s “prayer for our earth” from the Encyclical accompanies the conclusion.

The Dicastery is distributing more than 500 000 print copies of the booklet to parishes around the world, and SEI and the Dicastery will work together to promote the project online and highlight the changes that it inspires. A key tool in this regard will be the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, an online hub run by the Dicastery that brings together Catholics who have mobilized to tackle ecological challenges, in line with the Pope’s call to action.