On the basis of the Church’s social teaching, Catholic bishops have addressed environmental issues in the areas of:

• Food and Agriculture
• Energy
• Sustainable Economies
• Urban Life
• Environmental Health
• Environmental Justice
• Land
• Water
• Climate and Air
• Living Creatures

The key perspective, principles and priorities that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Environmental Justice Program brings to questions of public policy are stated on the Program’s website:

About the Environmental Justice Program
Public Policy

Over the years, certain principles and issues have emerged that provide a focus for EJP’s policy efforts that are consistent with Catholic social teaching.

EJP recognizes several unique features associated with environmental policy issues, presenting peculiar challenges in the public policy arena:

1. they are often broad in scope and overlap other policy issues;
2. they often have simultaneous domestic and international dimensions;
3. they are usually scientific and technical adding another degree of complexity; and
4. they are governed in large measure by regulation and not just by legislative statute.