Ecological transformation: let’s get down to work! (25 September 2018, Paris)

Ecological transformation: let’s get down to work!

“What is the future of work in the context of the ecological transition?”

The ecological transition can be perceived as a tremendous opportunity to reinvent what we know as “work” in line with principles of social justice and care for the environment. Solidarity and Earth-friendly activities must be developed to jump-start and sustain this transition, which we know is a necessary step forward.

The Catholic Social Teaching has taken many significant turns over the years, as it sought to voice social concerns. The publications of the Encyclical Letters Rerum Novarum in 1891, to Laudato si’ in 2015, show that the Catholic Church is genuinely concerned with social issues and more recently with environmental care.

More specifically, Laudato si’ carries a specific vision of Man and of its role with regards to the planet. Indeed, Laudato si’ explains that humanity must restore balance between human activities and caring for the Creation of which Man is part.

The conversation that was led over the 19th and 20th of June 2018 at the Jesuits University in Paris by the participants to the research-action seminar on “Work in the ecological transition”, tried to find ways to translate Laudato si’ takeaway message into reality. This process actually entails the redefinition of what is commonly defined as “work” in relation to environmental necessity.

There is still much to be done and we hope that the discussions that we will have in the future as a research-action group will carry a hopeful message that will resonate in other academic and action spheres, while also paving the way for future fruitful initiatives.