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SLU President Joins Dozens of Catholic Leaders Urging White House and Congress to Address Climate Change

ST. LOUIS — (Nov. 16, 2017) Saint Louis University President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., is lending his voice to a national call from Catholic leaders for the United States to reassert its leadership in addressing global climate change.

Building Solar Panels

A number of buildings on the SLU campus feature solar panels that, combined, are capable of generating more than 180,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy annually. File Photo

In a letter sent Nov. 16, the leaders of more than 150 Catholic organizations urge the White House and Congress to support funding for U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as well as to honor the nation’s commitment to the Green Climate Fund.

“The issue of climate change should be as much of an institution-wide responsibility as living our mission,” Pestello said in signing onto the letter. “Answering Pope Francis’s compelling call in Laudato Si’ to be better stewards of creation is more than a papal request. It is a requisite response to living our Catholic values. Humanity must reconcile the ways in which we have not upheld the dignity of creation.

“Saint Louis University is compelled to solidarity in this journey,” Pestello continued. “Many of the students studying at Catholic universities have been at the forefront of this endeavor, increasingly aware of their responsibility as co-creators. And the talented scientists at our universities have convincingly made the empirical case for substantial action, as well as the urgency of this critical challenge.”

Sustainability is a priority for Saint Louis University. SLU has committed to reducing its energy and water use by 20 percent by 2020. And the University’s two new residential complexes were built to meet LEED Silver standards.

SLU’s commitment to sustainability has garnered national recognition, including a Silver Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education and placement in the Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide.

The Nov. 16 letter was organized by Catholic Climate Covenant, which guides the U.S. Church's response to climate change. For more information about the organization, visit catholicclimatecovenant.org. To review the climate change letter, visit catholicclimatecovenant.org/press-release/letter-to-president-trump-and-members-of-united-states-congress.

Saint Louis University is a world-class Catholic, Jesuit institution educating nearly 13,000 students on two dynamic, urban campuses - in St. Louis, Missouri, and Madrid, Spain. Founded in 1818, the University will soon celebrate its bicentennial. With a legacy of innovative academics and research, compassionate health care and faithful service, Saint Louis University attracts a diverse community of scholars who push intellectual boundaries in pursuit of creative, meaningful ways to impact the world, striving to serve a higher purpose and seek a greater good.