Report taken from: http://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/index.asp
Last week saw Pope Benedict XVI addressing diplomats and ambassadors to the Vatican during his annual "State of the World" address.
It was a sombre discourse but certainly not lacking in hope and an eye for the future.
At the end of the discourse the Pope sounded hopeful and positive as he urged respect for creation. He mentioned climate change and environmental protection, and looked ahead to the Rio Conference on Sustainable Development, witnessing his forcefull stance as regards the protection of creation and the need to invest in environmental concerns.
His discourse came a the start of 2012, the year the United Nations has designated as the "International Year of Sustainable Energy for All".
Linda Bordoni spoke to Dr. Peter Pavlovic, Study Secretary of Church & Society Commissiona and Secretary of ECEN - the European Christian Environmental Network, an organisation that aims is to share information, experiences in environmental work among widely varied Christian traditions and to encourage a united witness in caring for God's creation.
Dr. Pavlovic explained that ECEN is closely linked to the ecumenical Conference of European Churches and is its main working instrument for addressing the need for environmental engagement and responding to climate change.
Regarding the "International Year of Sustainable Energy for All", dr. Pavlovic says it implies several consequences,: "first of all energy is something that we all very much need, whether we are aware of it or not, and the simple fact is: the consumption of energy is increasing" a fact that is closely linked to climate change. So - he says "if we want to address climate change, we have to take into concern what is happening in our energy consumption and take stock of the fact that molre than 85% of our energy consumption is produced by fossil sources which enormously contribute to climate change".
Another aspect - dr Pavlovic continues - "and this is very important for our perspective from a Christian point of view is the use of energy: we very often not only use, but misuse energy" and this is an an aspect ECEN would like to address.
Dr. Pavlovic says it is fundamental the message be received by the general public and because climate change cannot be tackled - he says- without a change in the attitude and in the approach of the individual.
listen to the full interview... 
