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Encyclical from Pope makes special challenge to Catholic
Prime Minister
On Thursday 18 June 2015 the Catholic Pope will publish an ‘encyclical’ - a
letter to the entire world's population. It is a letter which the Australian Prime
Minister is likely to be asked to relate to, since he himself is a devout Catholic.
As a young man Abbott took lessons at a Catholic priest seminary. He never
completed the study and eventually - as we all know today - did not become a
Catholic priest. But as soon as he can find a cause for it, he still speaks with
pride about his Catholic background.
So when the Catholic Pope today issues such a sharp criticism of the policy
Abbott is leading, as it is expected to be the case in this encyclical, the
question is whether it is something that will actually change Abbott's policy,
including his views on wind turbines, in this country which in the last decade
has been thriving from an economic boom as one of the world's largest coal
exporters.
Thursday has just started in Italy, and therefore we have not yet seen the
papal encyclical, but a leaked draft has been circulating on the Internet, and it
is expected that the Pope is going not only criticize but in fact condemn in
strong wording what is currently taking place with the government's blessing
and financial backing in the Australian coal and gas industry.
The Pope also personally sent a letter to Tony Abbott, when he hosted the G20
countries at a summit in Brisbane in November last year. The Pope then
requested that Abbott put climate on the agenda of the G20 meeting.
Abbott now face a choice between caring about The Creation, which the Pope
calls it - including the environment and the climate - or caringfor his vested
interests, says Professor Neil Ormerod, who is Catholic spokesman in the
organisation Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, which has a
number of major Catholic organisations as members.
Neil Ormerod had mentioned as an example that one consequence could be
that the government must stop subsidising the oil-gas-coal industry. Currently
the Australian government subsidises the fossil fuel industries with close to
$12 billion a year, according to the Australian Conservation Foundation.
Every year Lowy Institute asks Australians about what they think about climate
change. Between 2006 and 2012, interest in the subject declined more and
more, but the last three years, it again increased steadily. Currently around
half of the Australian population consider climate change a serious and urgent
problem, according the polling institute.
By Mik Aidt
Published on
18 June 2015
File size
1.9 MB
Duration
4 min 7 sec
Pope says
‘irresponsible’ humans the cause of climate change
Tom Arup
In a radical step, Pope Francis is
preparing to declare humans as
primarily responsible for climate
change and call for renewable energy to replace fossil fuels, a leaked
draft of his much anticipated statement on the environment suggests.
The draft opens by declaring climate change as a protest by the
Earth for ‘‘irresponsible use and
abuse of the goods that God placed
in her’’.
The encyclical – a papal instruction – will stir debate among Catholics around the world. But Pope
Francis said he hoped that the encyclical will also reach a wider
audience.
Professor of theology at
the Australian Catholic
University,
Neil
Ormerod, told Fairfax Media the
statement
would
clearly
put environmental
issues at the forefront of the Pope’s
expectations for Catholic institutions and the church.
‘‘There has been a tendency by some in the church
to be dismissive of environmental issues, and to see it
as not a legitimate form of
Catholic participation in
civil society,’’ Professor
Ormerod said. ‘‘Well
that’s now gone.’’
The hotly anticipated
statement – which is
titled Laudato Si or Be
Praised – was due to be re-
leased on Thursday evening Australian time. But embarrassingly
for the Vatican, an Italian
magazine published a 192-page
draft version early. Parts of the
draft were then translated from
Italian to English by media outlets.
Australian Catholic Church would
not comment on the draft. Events
in Australia have been planned for
coming days in anticipation of the
document’s formal release, and the
Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis
Hart, is expected to hold a press
conference on Friday morning. In
the draft, Pope Francis backs the
broad finding of global scientists
that climate change is predominantly caused by human activity
such as burning fossil fuels and
cutting down forests.
‘‘Numerous scientific studies indicate that the major part of global
warming in recent decades is due
to the high concentration of greenhouse gas … emitted above all because of human activity,’’ the draft
says, according to translations by
media outlets.
With Lisa Cox.
! theage.com.au — Read more
NATAGE A003
Pope’s views provide cold comfort for Canberra
Neil
Ormerod
P
ope Francis is now in the
third year of his papacy.
In that time he has
changed the face of the
church around the world. With the
launch of his most recent encyclical, Laudato Si (Praised be), he is
now set to recharge the debate on
global warming with a dramatic
call to action from all people, individually and collectively.
In using an encyclical (a papal
letter) Pope Francis is utilising one
of the most important forms of
communication he can adopt.
Encyclicals are used for matters of
the utmost importance and in using this form of communication he
is throwing all his moral authority
behind the issue of our current
‘‘ecological crisis’’. He clearly
wants to mobilise the whole Catholic Church and indeed all people
of goodwill to deal with this crisis.
I need to be clear that this document is not just about the issue of
climate change, but embraces
every aspect of ecological concern
from biodiversity, genetically modified crops, increased use of public
transport, to the piles of waste generated by overconsumption.
However, it is the claims in relation
to climate change which will be
most controversial and have the
greatest political significance.
Repeatedly Francis speaks of
the present ‘‘ecological crisis’’, the
‘‘fragility of the planet’’ and our
need to respect the limitations of
our existence in this finite world.
A primary component of this
ecological crisis is the impact of
global warming. While the Pope acknowledges that various elements
may contribute to climate change
in the end he concurs with the
‘‘very solid scientific consensus’’
that: ‘‘most global warming in recent decades is due to the great
concentration of greenhouse gases
(carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen
oxides and others) released mainly
as a result of human activity’’.
And he is not shy in identifying
the major cause of this problem.
There are three clear references to
fossil fuels in the document, all
negative. ‘‘The problem [of climate
change] is aggravated by a model
of development based on the intensive use of fossil fuels, which is
at the heart of the worldwide energy system.’’ He calls for a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by
‘‘substituting for fossil fuels and
developing sources of renewable
energy’’ and that ‘‘technology
based on the use of highly polluting
fossil fuels – especially coal, but
also oil and, to a lesser degree, gas
– needs to be progressively replaced without delay’’.
These three quotes alone will
provide the environmental movement with powerful ammunition
against the policies of the present
government. Far from coal being
‘‘good for humanity’’ Pope Francis
identifies it as the worst of the fossil fuels in terms of carbon pollution. Where Tony Abbott wanted
to lower the Renewable Energy
Target to even lower levels, the
Pope argues that fossil fuels need
to be ‘‘progressively replaced without delay’’. Where Abbott famously referred to carbon dioxide as
an odourless, colourless and
weightless gas (his scientific illiteracy is astounding!) the Pope calls
for urgent action to reduce emissions by ‘‘developing sources of renewable energy’’.
As if this is not enough ammunition, the Pope goes on to bemoan
the lack of effective action in dealing with climate change: ‘‘Politics
and business have been slow to re-
act in a way commensurate with
the urgency of the challenges facing our world.’’ There has been a
global lack of ‘‘political will’’ in addressing the problem.
In contrast with various efforts
to deal with other environmental
issues, ‘‘with regard to climate
change, the advances have been regrettably few. Reducing greenhouse gases requires honesty,
courage and responsibility, above
all on the part of those countries
which are more powerful and pollute the most.’’ This honesty, courage and responsibility has been
sadly lacking in Australian politics
where our political leaders have
pandered to the lowest common
denominator – how policies hit our
hip pocket.
In a call that will have various
climate sceptics in the US, and perhaps Australia, foaming at the
mouth, Pope Francis is calling for
binding, enforceable international
agreements on carbon pollution.
In lines that could be written directly to the Australian government
he notes: ‘‘A politics concerned
with immediate results, supported
by consumerist sectors of the population, is driven to produce shortterm growth. In response to electoral interests, governments are reluctant to upset the public with
measures which could affect the
level of consumption or create
risks for foreign investment.’’
And in a line that is sure to cause
Julia Gillard to smile, he notes:
‘‘Here, continuity is essential, because policies related to climate
change and environmental protection cannot be altered with every
change of government.’’ Axing the
tax, altering the RET and the implementation of the ineffective
‘‘direct action plan’’ are not conducive to long-term planning on climate change but products of ‘‘the
mindset of short-term gain and
results which dominates presentday economics and politics’’.
The climate may be warming,
but the Pope’s encyclical will
provide cold comfort for our Australian political leaders.
Neil Ormerod is Professor of
Theology and member of the
Institute for Religion and Critical
Inquiry at Australian Catholic
University. He is the author of several
books on theological topics.
The Pope’s environmental encyclical promises to shake up the climate debate | Opinion | Eco-Business | Asia Pacific
22/06/2015 3:59 pm
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The Pope’s environmental encyclical promises to
shake up the climate debate
The long-awaited papal encyclical on the environment could have a significant
influence on conservative politics around the world, says Neil Ormerod,
professor of theology at Australian Catholic University.
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The climate pope
By Neil Ormerod
Tuesday 16 June 2015
The long-awaited papal encyclical on the environment could have a
significant influence on conservative politics around the world.
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The prominence of Catholics in conservative parties is part of a growing
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political right as they move out of the working class and into the middle and
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upper classes.
For instance in Australia, around half of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s cabinet
are Catholic, including Abbott, agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce, and
communications minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Never before in the history of Catholicism has a papal document attracted as
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much attention, even before it has been released. The document, entitled
Lautado Sii (Praised be), is to be released this Thursday, with a leaked draft
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already having appeared in the press.
http://www.eco-business.com/opinion/the-popes-environmental-encyclical-promises-to-shake-up-the-climate-debate/
Page 1 of 4
The Pope’s environmental encyclical promises to shake up the climate debate | Opinion | Eco-Business | Asia Pacific
The reason for this interest is the strong indication that Pope Francis will be
taking a definite stand on what for some remains a controversial issue, the
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question of human-induced climate change. On present indications, and
consistent with previous papal comments, the document will place climate
9
change within the larger framework of a global economic system that
promotes overconsumption. Meanwhile, the poor not only lack the basics
needed for life, but will carry the main burden of the effects of
climate change.
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keep Norwegian
miner off its
'treasures'
This controversy is likely to be keenly felt in Australia, with the Abbott
government at best lukewarm on the issue of climate change, and at worst
Papal documents such as this are not new. For more than 100 years, various
popes have been issuing teachings on matters, not strictly theological, but to
do with major social and political issues.
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The tradition began with the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum, issued by
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Pope Leo XIII in 1891, written to address “the misery and wretchedness
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pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class.” This document set
the agenda for Catholic engagement with and participation in the emerging
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labour unions of the day.
Since then these documents have addressed issues such as global poverty,
trade injustice, nuclear disarmament, the evils of communism and liberal
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capitalism and so on. Collectively these teachings constitute a key element
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of Catholic social teaching.
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With the growing awareness and urgency of the need to address
environmental issues, it should come as no surprise that the current pope,
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Pope Francis, will be issuing the first encyclical dedicated to
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the environment.
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Francis’ predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI both issued statements
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of varying significance on environmental issues. John Paul II spoke of “the
catastrophe toward which [our world is] moving.” More specifically Benedict
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XVI spoke at the United Nations of “the urgent issue of climate change”.
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Pope aims to win hearts and minds on climate change
In issuing an encyclical on the environment,
Francis is bringing the full weight of his
authority behind the environmental
concerns and climate change in particular.
Critics will point out, of course, that the
pope has no authority in scientific matters,
which is true. But like any prudent person
he is relying on the best scientific advice
available to him.
“
In issuing an encyclical
on the environment,
Francis is bringing the
full weight of his
authority behind the
environmental concerns
and climate change
in particular.
The Pontifical Academy of Science, which
includes non-believers such as Stephen Hawking, has issued various
statements and documents on climate change, in its capacity to provide
authoritative advice on scientific and technological matters to the pope.
The pope has also been listening to the voices of Caritas Internationalis, the
http://www.eco-business.com/opinion/the-popes-environmental-encyclical-promises-to-shake-up-the-climate-debate/
Page 2 of 4
The Pope’s environmental encyclical promises to shake up the climate debate | Opinion | Eco-Business | Asia Pacific
22/06/2015 3:59 pm
Church’s leading overseas aid agency, telling him that decades of
development work with the world’s poorest is being undone by the effects of
climate change. Those least responsible for climate change are paying the
highest price in terms of its effects.
Will it change the climate debate?
Internationally the prospect of a papal encyclical on climate change is being
greeted with hopeful expectation by the environmental movement, and with
equal trepidation by right wing climate sceptics funded by the fossil
fuel industry.
The Heartland Foundation, a US think tank famous for its denial of links
between smoking and lung cancer, held a seminar in Rome on April 27, at
which various speakers attacked any suggestion that the Pope would use the
encyclical to support claims of human induced climate change.
British climate denier Christopher Monckton verbally attacked the Pope,
claiming, “You demean the office that you hold and you demean the church
whom it is your sworn duty to protect and defend and advance.” We can
expect the quantity and harshness of these complaints to increase markedly
with the release of the encyclical.
But at another seminar held the following day in Rome, organised by the
Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences, Secretary General of
the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon praised the moral leadership being
demonstrated by Pope Francis, hoping that this leadership will prove
influential, if not decisive, in the upcoming Paris climate talks in November
this year.
Despite the many scandals facing the Church, Pope Francis has enormous
popular appeal and he will be handing the environmental movement a big
stick with which to hit the present government’s climate credentials on
the head.
As Pope he carries a unique moral authority and people are listening to him
in an unprecedented manner.
While some Australian Catholics may be taken aback by the strength of his
position, given the climate denialism of Cardinal George Pell, his call will be
heard and people will take notice. Whether it will be as influential as hoped
by Ban Ki-Moon is yet to be seen.
Neil Ormerod is Professor of Theology at Australian Catholic University. This
article was originally published on The Conversation.
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Getting ready for Pope Francis' environmental Rerum Novarum - Eureka Street
22/06/2015 4:01 pm
Getting ready for Pope Francis' environmental Rerum Novarum
19 Comments
Neil Ormerod | 10 May 2015
(uploads/image/15/43917_L.jpg)Towards the end of the nineteenth century the Catholic Church was facing
an unprecedented social crisis, the immiseration of the working classes of Europe.
In the words of the encyclical (http://w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_lxiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum.html) Rerum Novarum (1891), 'The misery and wretchedness pressing
so unjustly on the majority of the working class' cries out for amelioration. In the face of this the Church
could not be silent, even if it meant going beyond its normal comfort zone to speak of these 'new things'.
The response of Pope Leo XIII set the agenda for Catholic engagement with and participation in the
emerging labour unions of the day. To this day it remains a document honoured within the union
movement.
It was a bold experiment in Catholic social teaching, an experiment we are about to see repeated by Pope
Francis with his proposed encyclical on the environment, due to be released in June.
While both John Paul II and Benedict XVI made passing reference to environmental issues in various
documents – Benedict’s (http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_benxvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate.html) encyclical Caritas in Veritate spoke of the need for protection
'the environment, of resources and of the climate' – Francis will be offering an entire encyclical on
environmental issue, with a particular focus on climate change.
In terms of its significance, this encyclical has the potential to do for the environmental movement what
Rerum Novarum did for the union movement, provide it with a powerful source of moral and religious
legitimacy in the face of those forces which have sought to limit their influence.
Unlike Rerum Novarum, however, which emerged prior to the era of mass communication and the digital age, the forthcoming encyclical, proposed almost two years ago, is alread
generating significant push-back. The US based conservative Catholic magazine First Things published (http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/mullarkey/2015/01/francis-political-illusio
a scathing blog using intemperate language accusing Pope Francis of using 'demagogic formulations to bully the populace into reflexive climate action with no more substantive
guide than theologised propaganda.'
The US think tank, the Heartland Foundation, famous for its denial of links between smoking and lung cancer, held a seminar in Rome last month, where various speakers attacke
any suggestion that the Pope would use the encyclical to support claims of human induced climate change. Serial eccentric, Lord Christopher Monckton, verbally attacked
(http://ncronline.org/blogs/eco-catholic/ahead-vatican-climate-change-summit-skeptics-issues-strong-blunt-warnings-francis) the pope, claiming, 'You demean the office that you
hold and you demean the church whom it is your sworn duty to protect and defend and advance.'
The fact that all this is occurring some months before the encyclical is scheduled to appear is unprecedented, and a strong signal of the powerful vested interests seeking to silenc
or at least mute the Pope’s expected stance on climate change.
The day after the Heartland meeting, the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences held their own seminar and invited the General Secretary of the United Nations, Ban
Ki-Moon, to speak. Ban praised the moral leadership being demonstrated by Pope Francis, hoping that this leadership will prove influential in the upcoming Paris climate talks in
November this year.
A key speech at the seminar was given by Cardinal Peter Turkson, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, a body deeply involved in the drafting of the encyclical.
Turkson called for a called a 'fundamental change of course' in our relationship to the natural world. Significantly he quoted Patriarch Bartholomew (also known as the 'green'
Patriarch) to the effect that 'to commit a crime against the natural world is a sin.'
At its conclusion this seminar issued a joint statement, noting 'Human-induced climate change is a scientific reality, and its decisive mitigation is a moral and religious imperative f
humanity.' It went on to note that 'The poor and excluded face dire threats from climate disruptions, including the increased frequency of droughts, extreme storms, heat waves,
and rising sea levels.' It concludes with the assertion:
Climate-change mitigation will require a rapid world transformation to a world powered by renewable and other low-carbon energy and the sustainable management of
ecosystems. These transformations should be carried out in the context of globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals, consistent with ending extreme poverty; ensuring
universal access for healthcare, quality education, safe water, and sustainable energy; and cooperating to end human trafficking and all forms of modern slavery. All sectors and
stakeholders must do their part, a pledge that we fully commit to in our individual capacities.
The battle lines are being well and truly drawn. To all intents and purposes the encyclical is a finished document, going through the process of translation into various languages.
I’ve heard said it is a lengthy document, perhaps the longest encyclical yet. But like its famous predecessor Rerum Novarum, the focus of the encyclical, like so many of the Pope’s
concerns, is the impact upon the poor. The long awaited encyclical will be a landmark in Catholic social teaching.
Neil Ormerod is Professor of Theology at Australian Catholic University, a member of ACU's Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry and a Fellow of the Australian Catholic
Theological Association.
Neil Ormerod
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Page 1 of 1
The Pope's Environmental Encyclical Promises to Shake Up the Climat…nion – ABC Religion & Ethics (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
22/06/2015 4:02 pm
Religion & Ethics: Content from Across the ABC
Opinion
The Pope's Environmental Encyclical Promises to
Shake Up the Climate Debate
Neil Ormerod ABC Religion and Ethics 16 Jun 2015
Comments (5)
The long-awaited papal encyclical on the environment could have a significant influence on conservative
politics around the world.
The prominence of Catholics in conservative parties is part of a growing trend within Australia and the
United States of Catholics shifting to the political right as they move out of the working class and into the
middle and upper classes.
For instance in Australia, around half of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's cabinet are Catholic, including
Abbott himself, agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce and communications minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Never before in the history of Catholicism has a papal document attracted as much attention, even before
it has been released. The document, entitled Laudato Si ("Praised be"), is to be released this Thursday,
with a leaked draft already having appeared in the press.
The reason for this interest is the strong indication that Pope Francis will be taking a definite stand on
what for some remains a controversial issue, the question of human-induced climate change. On present
indications, and consistent with previous papal comments, the document will place climate change within
the larger framework of a global economic system that promotes overconsumption. Meanwhile, the poor
not only lack the basics needed for life, but will carry the main burden of the effects of climate change.
This controversy is likely to be keenly felt in Australia, with the Abbott government at best lukewarm on
the issue of climate change, and at worst actively hostile to taking meaningful steps to combat it.
The church and the environment
Papal documents such as this are not new. For more than 100 years, various popes have been issuing
teachings on matters, not strictly theological, but to do with major social and political issues.
The tradition began with the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum, issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, written
to address "the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class." This
document set the agenda for Catholic engagement with and participation in the emerging labour unions of
the day. Since then these documents have addressed issues such as global poverty, trade injustice, nuclear
disarmament, the evils of communism and liberal capitalism and so on. Collectively these teachings
constitute a key element of Catholic social teaching.
With the growing awareness and urgency of the need to address environmental issues, it should come as
no surprise that the current pope, Pope Francis, will be issuing the first encyclical dedicated to the
http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2015/06/16/4256079.htm
Page 1 of 3
The Pope's Environmental Encyclical Promises to Shake Up the Climat…nion – ABC Religion & Ethics (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
22/06/2015 4:02 pm
environment.
Francis's predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI both issued statements of varying significance on
environmental issues. John Paul II spoke of "the catastrophe toward which [our world is] moving." More
specifically Benedict XVI spoke at the United Nations of "the urgent issue of climate change."
In issuing an encyclical on the environment, Francis is bringing the full weight of his authority behind the
environmental concerns and climate change in particular. Critics will point out, of course, that the pope
has no authority in scientific matters, which is true. But like any prudent person he is relying on the best
scientific advice available to him.
The Pontifical Academy of Science, which includes non-believers such as Stephen Hawking, has issued
various statements and documents on climate change, in its capacity to provide authoritative advice on
scientific and technological matters to the pope.
The pope has also been listening to the voices of Caritas Internationalis, the Church's leading overseas aid
agency, telling him that decades of development work with the world's poorest is being undone by the
effects of climate change. Those least responsible for climate change are paying the highest price in terms
of its effects.
Will it change the climate debate?
Internationally the prospect of a papal encyclical on climate change is being greeted with hopeful
expectation by the environmental movement, and with equal trepidation by right-wing climate sceptics
funded by the fossil fuel industry.
The Heartland Foundation, a U.S. think tank famous for its denial of links between smoking and lung
cancer, held a seminar in Rome on 27 April, at which various speakers attacked any suggestion that the
Pope would use the encyclical to support claims of human induced climate change. British climate denier
Christopher Monckton verbally attacked the Pope, claiming, "You demean the office that you hold and
you demean the church whom it is your sworn duty to protect and defend and advance." We can expect
the quantity and harshness of these complaints to increase markedly with the release of the encyclical.
But at another seminar held the following day in Rome, organised by the Pontifical Academies of
Sciences and Social Sciences, Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon praised the moral
leadership being demonstrated by Pope Francis, hoping that this leadership will prove influential, if not
decisive, in the upcoming Paris climate talks in November this year.
Despite the many scandals facing the Church, Pope Francis has enormous popular appeal and he will be
handing the environmental movement a big stick with which to hit the present government's climate
credentials on the head. As Pope he carries a unique moral authority and people are listening to him in an
unprecedented manner.
While some Australian Catholics may be taken aback by the strength of his position, given the climate
denialism of Cardinal George Pell, his call will be heard and people will take notice. Whether it will be as
influential as hoped by Ban Ki-Moon is yet to be seen.
Neil Ormerod is Professor of Theology at Australian Catholic University. This article originally
appeared on The Conversation.
http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2015/06/16/4256079.htm
Page 2 of 3
The Pope's environmental encyclical promises to shake up the climate debate
22/06/2015 4:03 pm
June 16, 2015 3.11pm AEST
The Pope’s environmental encyclical
promises to shake up the climate debate
AUTHOR
Neil Ormerod
Professor of Theology at
Australian Catholic
University
The papal encyclical Lautado Sii will likely place climate
change within an economic system that promotes
overconsumption. EPA/Claudio Peri
The long-awaited papal encyclical on the environment could have a significant influence on
conservative politics around the world.
The prominence of Catholics in conservative parties is part of a growing trend within Australia
and the United States of Catholics shifting to the political right as they move out of the
working class and into the middle and upper classes.
For instance in Australia, around half of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s cabinet are Catholic,
including Abbott, agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce, and communications minister Malcolm
Turnbull.
Never before in the history of Catholicism has a papal document attracted as much attention,
even before it has been released. The document, entitled Lautado Sii (Praised be), is to be
released this Thursday, with a leaked draft already having appeared in the press.
The reason for this interest is the strong indication that Pope Francis will be taking a definite
stand on what for some remains a controversial issue, the question of human-induced
climate change. On present indications, and consistent with previous papal comments, the
http://theconversation.com/the-popes-environmental-encyclical-promises-to-shake-up-the-climate-debate-43328
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The Pope's environmental encyclical promises to shake up the climate debate
22/06/2015 4:03 pm
document will place climate change within the larger framework of a global economic system
that promotes overconsumption. Meanwhile, the poor not only lack the basics needed for
life, but will carry the main burden of the effects of climate change.
This controversy is likely to be keenly felt in Australia, with the Abbott government at best
lukewarm on the issue of climate change, and at worst actively hostile to taking meaningful
steps to combat it.
The church and the environment
Papal documents such as this are not new. For more than 100 years, various popes have
been issuing teachings on matters, not strictly theological, but to do with major social and
political issues.
The tradition began with the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum, issued by Pope Leo XIII in
1891, written to address “the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority
of the working class.” This document set the agenda for Catholic engagement with and
participation in the emerging labour unions of the day.
Since then these documents have addressed issues such as global poverty, trade injustice,
nuclear disarmament, the evils of communism and liberal capitalism and so on. Collectively
these teachings constitute a key element of Catholic social teaching.
With the growing awareness and urgency of the need to address environmental issues, it
should come as no surprise that the current pope, Pope Francis, will be issuing the first
encyclical dedicated to the environment.
Francis’ predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI both issued statements of varying
significance on environmental issues. John Paul II spoke of “the catastrophe toward which
[our world is] moving.” More specifically Benedict XVI spoke at the United Nations of “the
urgent issue of climate change”.
In issuing an encyclical on the environment, Francis is bringing the full weight of his authority
behind the environmental concerns and climate change in particular.
Critics will point out, of course, that the pope has no authority in scientific matters, which is
true. But like any prudent person he is relying on the best scientific advice available to him.
The Pontifical Academy of Science, which includes non-believers such as Stephen Hawking,
has issued various statements and documents on climate change, in its capacity to provide
authoritative advice on scientific and technological matters to the pope.
The pope has also been listening to the voices of Caritas Internationalis, the Church’s leading
overseas aid agency, telling him that decades of development work with the world’s poorest
is being undone by the effects of climate change. Those least responsible for climate change
are paying the highest price in terms of its effects.
Will it change the climate debate?
Internationally the prospect of a papal encyclical on climate change is being greeted with
http://theconversation.com/the-popes-environmental-encyclical-promises-to-shake-up-the-climate-debate-43328
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The Pope's environmental encyclical promises to shake up the climate debate
22/06/2015 4:03 pm
hopeful expectation by the environmental movement, and with equal trepidation by right wing
climate sceptics funded by the fossil fuel industry.
The Heartland Foundation, a US think tank famous for its denial of links between smoking
and lung cancer, held a seminar in Rome on April 27, at which various speakers attacked any
suggestion that the Pope would use the encyclical to support claims of human induced
climate change.
British climate denier Christopher Monckton verbally attacked the Pope, claiming, “You
demean the office that you hold and you demean the church whom it is your sworn duty to
protect and defend and advance.” We can expect the quantity and harshness of these
complaints to increase markedly with the release of the encyclical.
But at another seminar held the following day in Rome, organised by the Pontifical
Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences, Secretary General of the United Nations Ban
Ki-Moon praised the moral leadership being demonstrated by Pope Francis, hoping that this
leadership will prove influential, if not decisive, in the upcoming Paris climate talks in
November this year.
Despite the many scandals facing the Church, Pope Francis has enormous popular appeal
and he will be handing the environmental movement a big stick with which to hit the present
government’s climate credentials on the head.
As Pope he carries a unique moral authority and people are listening to him in an
unprecedented manner.
While some Australian Catholics may be taken aback by the strength of his position, given
the climate denialism of Cardinal George Pell, his call will be heard and people will take
notice. Whether it will be as influential as hoped by Ban Ki-Moon is yet to be seen.
http://theconversation.com/the-popes-environmental-encyclical-promises-to-shake-up-the-climate-debate-43328
Page 3 of 3
The World Today - Senior Australian Catholics back Pope Francis's call for decisive action on climate change 19/06/2015
22/06/2015 4:04 pm
The World Today with Eleanor Hall
An hour of current affairs background and debate from Australia and the world every Monday to Friday, 12:10 pm, ABC Local Radio and
Radio National.
Senior Australian Catholics back Pope Francis's
call for decisive action on climate change
Michael Edwards reported this story on Friday, June 19, 2015 12:10:00
KIM LANDERS: One of Australia's most prominent Catholic theologians is urging the Prime
Minister to carefully listen to the Pope's views on climate change.
In the first papal document dedicated to the environment, the leader of the Catholic Church has called
for decisive action to stop environmental degradation and global warming.
Pope Francis' stance has won broad praise from scientists, the United Nations and climate change
activists, as well as US president Barack Obama.
So far, Tony Abbott hasn't commented on the document, but one of his senior ministers says the
Pontiff's views are thoughtful and insightful.
Michael Edwards reports.
MICHAEL EDWARDS: The document, known as an encyclical, is titled "Laudato Si" or Praise Be,
and it has captured the world's attention.
In it, Pope Francis calls for change to the fossil fuel-based industrial model that he believes mostly
harms the world's poor.
Among the crowds in St Peter's Square at the Vatican, the Pontiff's views seemed to resonate.
LUIS GARCIA: He can deliver directions on how we can manage our resources, on how we're going
to do to change this, to change the way we treat our planet.
MICHAEL EDWARDS: As the first Pope to come from a developing country, Pope Frances wants
rich countries to change their lifestyles.
He says they're steeped in a "throwaway" consumer culture.
He also took on big business, appearing to back consumer movements boycotting certain products in
order to force companies to respect the environment.
Francesco Tubiello is from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
FRANCESCO TUBIELLO: So water scarcity, global pollution, climate changes are all aspects of the
same system, if you will.
He's pointing the finger to the fact that the system needs to be changed because we've reached the
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2015/s4258292.htm
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The World Today - Senior Australian Catholics back Pope Francis's call for decisive action on climate change 19/06/2015
22/06/2015 4:04 pm
economies of scale that demand fundamental change.
MICHAEL EDWARDS: Pope Francis has received international acclaim for the document.
The US president Barack Obama praised the call for action and says the United States should lead
global efforts to cut carbon pollution and bolster clean energy sources.
Senior Catholics here in Australia have also expressed their support.
FRANK BRENNAN: I think it provides us with a very good way forward of trying to deal both with
environmental issues and fundamental questions of social justice.
MICHAEL EDWARDS: That's Father Frank Brennan, a Jesuit priest and Professor of Law at
Australian Catholic University.
FRANK BRENNAN: And I think he's done it in a very responsible way, saying that the church
doesn't provide answers on all the issues of politics or science, but I think he's opened up a very
creative dialogue and he's very courageously and positively put out there what is a religious
perspective on these difficult questions.
MICHAEL EDWARDS: Now we've got some very prominent Catholics in positions of power here in
Australia - Tony Abbott, how do you think he should respond to this?
FRANK BRENNAN: Well, I would hope that he would read it attentively and he'd take into account
that what the Pope's saying is that if we're to address the really big environmental questions for the
future of the planet, for the future of our selves, we've got to look at questions of culture and
education, we've got to look at questions of science and technology and we've got to look at questions
of politics.
And I must say I would particularly hope that he'd read paragraph 178, which is by my quote a
sentence or two, says, "Politics concerned with immediate results ordered by consumerist sectors of
the population is driven to produce short term growth."
MICHAEL EDWARDS: One of Tony Abbott's senior Catholic Cabinet colleagues who has read it is
Malcolm Turnbull.
He spoke about it on the ABC's News Breakfast program this morning.
MALCOLM TURNBULL: I really would commend everyone to read the Pope's encyclical, by the
way.
I actually, in the very early hours of this morning I read about two-thirds of it and it's a very, very
interesting and eloquent document.
There's a lot more in it than just discussion of climate change.
The Pope speaks in a very thoughtful way about cities, about the environment of cities, about the
importance of ensuring that poor people have access to all of the good things in cities and that of
course means better transport, better public transport, he cites.
It is a very wide ranging document and really goes well beyond what you would normally expect
from a, from a Pope, I guess.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2015/s4258292.htm
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The World Today - Senior Australian Catholics back Pope Francis's call for decisive action on climate change 19/06/2015
22/06/2015 4:04 pm
MICHAEL EDWARDS: The Greens leader Senator Richard Di Natale, a self-described lapsed
Catholic, has congratulated Pope Francis for showing what he describes as tremendous leadership on
the great moral issue of our time - climate change.
RICHARD DI NATALE: The Pope has sent a very clear signal to the rest of the world that this issue
must be addressed if we're to sustain the planet that sustains all of us, and it's wonderful to hear a man
who he's respected by so many people take such a strong stand on what he defined as a spiritual and
moral issue.
MICHAEL EDWARDS: The Prime Minister Tony Abbott was asked about the encyclical at a press
conference in Cairns this morning.
He didn't respond.
KIM LANDERS: Michael Edwards.
©2010 ABC
© 2015 ABC
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2015/s4258292.htm
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Excitement for Papal Encyclical on Climate Change - Cradio
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Excitement for Papal Encyclical on Climate Change
BY DANIEL NOUR ON 27 MAY, 2015
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Meeting the Pope might seem scary, or challenging for some. For Jacqui Remond however, it was a
chance to get down to business.
“It was a life changing experience. We were able to present the Pope with a petition that we recently drafted
which calls for bold action on Climate change. The Pope signed the petition and we are calling on one
million Catholics to do the same.”
Jacqui, the Director of Catholic Earthcare Australia, represented Australia in a delegation of eight countries
who gathered as members of the “Global Catholic Climate movement” early this month. The movement
exists to help implement a unified Catholic response to Climate change prevention, an expected element of
RECENT COMMENTS
the Pope’s soon to be released encyclical on the subject.
“This first ever ecological encyclical of the Catholic church will actually provide a great stimulus through
conversation, and for transformation into action in the world. It’s for business, governments and
CatholicSaints.Info » Blog Archive » Saint Peter of
Tarentaise on St. Peter of Tarentaise
humankind on earth. It’s really going to be a unified message for humanity across the globe.” Jacqui said.
CatholicSaints.Info » Blog Archive » Saint Catherine of
Bologna on St. Catherine of Bologna
Catholic Earthcare Australia, the national representative body for the Global Catholic Climate movement,
CatholicSaints.Info » Blog Archive » Blessed Helen of
Poland on Blessed Yolanda of Poland
has been working locally to raise awareness of strategies for Catholic Climate policy.
“We’ve invited Catholics throughout the world to join us for a global carbon fast throughout Lent.” This is all
a part of a growing, and increasingly urgent feeling that Catholics must act now to prevent the
consequences that climate change is having, especially on the poor.
“At this stage we’re sitting at a time where we have a very narrow buffer zone that’s decreasing as time goes
on. It’s very urgent that the world agrees on decreasing fossil fuels and taking action that reduces carbon
CatholicSaints.Info » Blog Archive » Saint Boniface on
St Boniface
CatholicSaints.Info » Blog Archive » Saint Charbel
Makhlouf on St Charbel
SAINT OF THE DAY
emissions.”
22 JUNE, 2015
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Excitement for Papal Encyclical on Climate Change - Cradio
22/06/2015 4:07 pm
St. Thomas More
“We’re pretty lucky in Australia in that we’re the first country to set up our own (Catholic) agency on ecology,
and there haven’t been that many who’ve followed suit.”
“We’re pioneering in this regard.”
JUST ADDED
The encyclical is expected to be released in June or July.
When God is Silent 22 June, 2015
St. Thomas More 22 June, 2015
Image: Haaretz.com
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World Hails Pope's Call to Protect the Environment, the Poor and our Fragile Planet - CAS
22/06/2015 4:09 pm
World Hails Pope's Call to Protect the Environment, the Poor and our
Fragile Planet
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
19 Jun 2015
Pope Francis with US
President Barack
Obama who issued a
statement this morning
praising the Papal
Encyclical on the
enviroment
Less than 24 hours after the release of Laudato Si', Pope Francis' much-anticipated environmental encyclical, many of the world's leaders have given
their enthusiastic support to the Holy Father's call to action both collectively and individually to protect our fragile planet.
UN Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, US President Barack Obama, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby, the Dalai Lama, President of the World Bank Jim Yong Kim, Rabbi David Rosen adviser on interfaith relations to the
Chief Rabbinate of Israel and Professor Dr M. Din Syamsuddin, Chairman of the Indonesian branch of one of the oldest and
largest Muslim movements in the world have issued statements hailing Laudato Si' and endorsing the Pope's plea to "hear the cry
of the earth and the cry of the poor."
Here in Australia, senior Liberal and Federal Minister for Communications Malcolm Turnbull has urged all to read the
encyclical which he said was penned "by a man who holds a position of great moral leadership."
"Pope Francis has put climate change and the needs of our world front and centre," says the President of the Australian Catholic
Bishops Conference, Archbishop of Melbourne, the Most Rev Denis Hart.
"Other popes have spoken about the beauty of nature and looking after God's gift. But this Pope is saying: 'hey, we have a
responsibility for our brothers and sisters, for our home. We have to conserve it. We have to look after it. To fail to do so would
be highly irresponsible," Archbishop Hart says and describes Laudato Si' as a serious encyclical that was wide-reaching,
carefully-considered, well-balanced and well-based.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2015/2015619_455.shtml
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World Hails Pope's Call to Protect the Environment, the Poor and our Fragile Planet - CAS
22/06/2015 4:09 pm
Leading Liberal and
Federal Minister for
Communications
Malcolm Turnbull has
urged everyone to read
Pope Francis' Encyclical
on the Environment
"I think this is a really significant moment and I am very pleased to be part of it," he says.
While the majority seem to have embraced the encyclical and the Pope's challenge to Catholics and non Catholics alike to halt
human activity which is causing much of the destruction and degradation of our planet, even before the encyclical was released,
dissenters were making their voices heard.
The Institute of Public Affairs Australia issued a press release which quoted controversial US-based priest, Fr James Evans who
took the view that "Pope Francis' encyclical on climate change should not be treated as official Catholic doctrine binding on all
Catholics, but rather a personal position of the Pope".
Another who dismissed the encyclical before it was released is Catholic convert Jeb Bush, scion of the oil rich Bush family, son
of former President George Bush and brother of George W. Bush, who is currently running for the Republican Nomination to
become America's next president.
The Encylical: "ought to be about making us better as people, less about things [that] end up getting into the political realm," he
insisted at a political rally yesterday, saying he would not take economic advice from his priests, his cardinals or his Pope.
In Australia, political commentator and Executive Director of the Sydney Institute Gerard Henderson was not complimentary of
the encyclical when he appeared on television and described it as "not particularly exciting," and claiming it was aimed at "the
sort of left liberal socially concerned people of western Europe and north America, and accusing the document of being "a bit all
over the place."
Pope Francis with UN General
Secretary Ban Ki-Moon earlier this
year
"I don't know if Pope Francis can draw together all the fractious voices in the world around the environment and get them talking to each other, but if the
encyclical released yesterday is any indication, he is sure giving it his best shot," says Father Peter Smith, Justice and Peace Promoter for the
Archdiocese of Sydney.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2015/2015619_455.shtml
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World Hails Pope's Call to Protect the Environment, the Poor and our Fragile Planet - CAS
22/06/2015 4:09 pm
"Even before Laudato Si' was released voices both inside and outside Australia were already dissenting from its content, while
others inside and outside the Church were extolling the document," he says.
Pleased that a conversation has defintely started on the encyclical's tripartite ecologies of human, social and environmental
concerns, Fr Peter is convinced this is a conversation we all need to have, both individually, as communities and as a nation.
Fr Peter predicts the encyclical will be far-reaching and of historic import, and believes that the Pope having spent most of his
life in Argentina adds a special resonance and authority to the document.
As an Argentinian, Pope Francis knows about confronting, desperate poverty and the hard scrabble life needed to survive in the
slums of Buenos Aires. He has also seen first-hand, and lamented, the vast discrepancy between the poor and the rich of
Argentina and witnessed corruption and policy-makers and the wealthy's widespread disregard for the poor. He has also
witnessed the exploitation of Argentina's resources by multinationals.
Father Peter Smith says
Encyclical has already
started an important
conversation individually
and collectively
In Laudato Si', Pope Francis cites his papal predecessors who urged us to be caretakers of God's great gift of our common home
and planet.
"But I am not sure that a European pope would have had the same power and impact with an encyclical about ecology and the
environment," Fr Peter says. "Pope Francis is not just writing the encyclical, he actually knows and has lived what he is writing
about. And it is because of the life he has led, and because the world knows him as a man of integrity, that gives Laudato Si' so
much weight and power."
Dr Neil Ormerod, Professor of Theology at the Australian Catholic University's Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry,
believes Pope Francis' encyclical is set to enlarge the debate on global warming.
Although it is clear for anyone who has read and studied the lengthy document, Laudato Si' is not just about the issue of climate
change but embraces every aspect of ecological concern from biodiversity, genetically modified crops, increased use of public
transport to the piles of waste generated by overconsumption, Dr Ormerod predicts it will be the Pope's claims in relation to
climate change that will generate the most controversy - and have the greatest political significance.
In a call he believes will upset many climate sceptics, Laudato Si' calls for binding, enforceable international agreements on
climate change.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2015/2015619_455.shtml
Page 3 of 4
World Hails Pope's Call to Protect the Environment, the Poor and our Fragile Planet - CAS
22/06/2015 4:09 pm
Rabbi David Rosen Adviser
on interfaith to the Chief
Rabbinate of Israel among
the interfaith leaders who
have hailed the Encyclical
Pulling no punches, the Pope calls for a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by "substituting fossil fuels and developing
sources of renewable energy" and that "technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels - especially coal but also oil
and to a lesser degree gas - needs to be progressively replaced without delay."
"The Pope calls for a cessation of the world's reliance on fossil fuels and urges immediate action to reduce carbon dioxide
emissions by developing sources of renewable energy," Dr Ormerod says and believes this is what will trigger robust debate
from sceptics.
One of the charges already levelled is that as a religious leader, Pope Francis has no business or credibility writing about science.
"That is a ludicrous suggestion. Pope Francis has access to the top scientists worldwide and is advised by the Pontifical
Academy of Sciences which has a membership roster that includes more than 21 Nobel Prize winners," Dr Ormerod says and
urges everyone whether Catholic or non Catholic to read Laudato Si'.
So too does Fr Peter Smith.
"What I like about this encyclical is its accessibility, and how readable it is. I like that it has a far reach. I like that it is a
challenge. I like that it is courageous and takes a stand. I like that it is scientific, pastoral, spiritual and indeed, human," he says.
http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2015/2015619_455.shtml
Page 4 of 4
Papal environment encyclical a win for the Greens, challenge for Abbott
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Pope calls for action on climate change
In the first papal document dedicated to the environment, Pope Francis says it's time to act to save the planet from destruction.
Politicians from across the political spectrum and Catholic Church leaders have welcomed Pope Francis' major encyclical on the environment,
saying they expect it to have a significant impact on the local and international climate change debate, with the potential to change voting
intentions.
Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart, who is also president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, described the encyclical as a "clarion call"
to all global leaders, including Australia's, to take stronger leadership on climate change.
"I would hope our leaders, including Mr Abbott, would carefully consider the message of the encyclical," Archbishop Hart said.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/papal-environ…ical-a-win-for-the-greens-challenge-for-abbott-20150619-ghselv.html
Page 1 of 3
Papal environment encyclical a win for the Greens, challenge for Abbott
22/06/2015 4:14 pm
Handle with care: Prime Minister Tony Abbott meets tomato packer Sonya Mackay in Cairns on Friday. Photo: AAP
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he thinks "everyone will give it great weight", including Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
"I think this is a very, very significant move by the Pope, to make the church and the leadership of the church much more relevant to young
people," Mr Turnbull said on Friday.
In his encyclical, released on Thursday night Australian time, Pope Francis bemoans "weak international political responses" to environmental
issues.
The Pope has issued an urgent call for humanity to tackle climate change and protect the planet. Photo: Getty Images
At least eight of Mr Abbott's 19 cabinet ministers are Catholics, including the Prime Minister, who trained for the priesthood in his youth. Mr Abbott
last year said coal was "good for humanity" and said recently he wished the Howard government had never implemented the Renewable Energy
Target.
Jesuit priest Frank Brennan said he expected Pope Francis' intervention to increase the mainstream appeal of the Greens, including among
Catholic voters.
"In the past in Australia, church leaders like [former Sydney Archbishop] Cardinal [George] Pell cautioned people against voting for the Greens,"
Father Brennan said.
"That sort of thing is out the window now. Minor parties like the Greens can take heart that the
Catholic Church thinks environmental issues are central to political debate."
Cardinal Pell, now the Vatican's finance chief, previously warned Catholics not to vote for the
Greens, describing them as "sweet camouflaged poison".
Greens Leader Richard Di Natale said: "Hopefully this is Tony Abbott's come to Jesus moment on
climate change."
"In an ideal world we would be focusing on the views of the experts but that's not the world we live
in.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/papal-environ…ical-a-win-for-the-greens-challenge-for-abbott-20150619-ghselv.html
Page 2 of 3
Papal environment encyclical a win for the Greens, challenge for Abbott
22/06/2015 4:14 pm
"I think this will have a significant impact because the Pope is a person of enormous influence."
Senator Di Natale said the encyclical was "welcome for the Greens but more importantly it's
welcome news for the planet".
Former Labor leader Kevin Rudd, who is Anglican, praised Pope Francis' "great leadership" on
Twitter.
"We are called to be good stewards of the earth for all humanity and all living things, including
those yet to be born," Mr Rudd said.
"I'm always amazed when people accuse the Pope or other spiritual leaders of straying into
politics."
Melbourne Catholic priest James Grant, an adjunct fellow at the free market Institute of Public
Affairs think tank, said Catholics will continue to hold different views on climate change.
Father Grant noted that Republican presidential front runner Jeb Bush, a Catholic, had strongly
disagreed with the Pope's stance.
"In Catholic doctrine, it is completely acceptable for Catholics to disagree with the opinions of the
Pope in an encyclical," he said.
Australian Greens leader Di Natale said he hoped the
Pope's encyclical was Tony Abbott's "come to Jesus
moment on climate change." Photo: Jay Cronan
Father Grant said he did not expect Mr Abbott to take a different stance on climate change
following the Pope's intervention.
"He hasn't made his Catholicism central to his prime ministership," he said of the Prime Minister.
Asked about the encyclical, a spokesman for Mr Abbott said: "The Prime Minister has always maintained that climate change is real, mankind
does make a contribution, and that it's important to have a strong and effective policy to deal with it."
The government is on track to reach its 2020 target of a 5 per cent emissions reduction on 2000 levels – the same goal as Labor – but without a
"job-destroying" price on carbon, the spokesman said.
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Francisco, un defensor del medio ambiente — Ejempla
22/06/2015 4:33 pm
Actualidad
Francisco, un defensor del medio ambiente
4 MIN de lectura por Agencia AFP
Los defensores del clima celebraron el llamamiento sin precedentes del papa Francisco a actuar de forma urgente contra el calentamiento global, a menos de seis meses de
la conferencia de París.
En su larga encíclica sobre "el cuidado de la casa común", el pontífice presiona a los dirigentes del mundo y, sobre todo, de los países ricos, reclamando "acuerdos
internacionales urgentes", una revolución económica y moral para luchar contra el cambio climático y reducir la desigualdad.
Sus palabras podrían convertir el tema del clima en una obligación moral para numerosos católicos y reforzar la movilización a favor de un acuerdo ambicioso bajo los
auspicios de la ONU en la capital francesa, en diciembre.
http://ejempla.com/actualidad/el-papa-un-defensor-del-medio-ambiente
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Francisco, un defensor del medio ambiente — Ejempla
22/06/2015 4:33 pm
"Esperamos que la encíclica lleve a las comunidades católicas del mundo a mirar cómo sus propias inversiones pueden financiar a veces el calentamiento
climático"
— Ellie Roberts
Con unos 1.200 millones de católicos en el mundo, la encíclica del papa puede tener un alcance muy importante, especialmente en las regiones donde el pontífice goza de
gran influencia, como América Latina y Asia.
"El papa inyecta un poderoso elemento moral en un debate que suele estar estancado en la ciencia, la política, la economía", opina Elliot Diringer, del instituto
estadounidense Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES).
"Le habla a nuestra conciencia colectiva. Seguramente no conseguirá convencer a muchos escépticos, pero sensibilizará a mucha gente sobre los desafíos y la emergencia",
añade.
En sus 192 páginas, la encíclica contiene elementos precisos y respaldados por la ciencia sobre el papel del hombre en el calentamiento climático y el impacto de las
energías fósiles, sobre todo el carbón.
El documento será parte del mensaje que transmita la Iglesia en sus parroquias y podría incitar a varias diócesis a unirse a un amplio movimiento de desinversión en los
combustibles fósiles, según la organización 350.org, que inició esa campaña.
Inversiones católicas
En los últimos meses, decenas de instituciones religiosas, desde el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias hasta la Iglesia de Inglaterra, retiraron sus activos invertidos en compañías
gasísticas o petroleras.
"Esperamos que la encíclica lleve a las comunidades católicas del mundo a mirar cómo sus propias inversiones pueden financiar a veces el calentamiento climático",
explica Ellie Roberts, de la asociación cristiana Operation Noah. "Es esencial si queremos reforzar la voluntad política necesaria para conseguir un acuerdo fuerte en
París".
Varios obstáculos se interponen en el camino hacia un pacto que deberá reunir, por consenso, a 195 Estados, y concretar las promesas de ayuda para los países en desarrollo
y garantizar el control de los compromisos nacionales sobre la reducción de gases de efecto invernadero.
El mensaje del papa "podría tener una influencia significativa sobre la política de los partidos conservadores en lugares, desde Australia a Estados Unidos, donde los
católicos son cada vez más predominantes", considera Neil Ormerod, profesor de teología del Australian Catholic University.
En Australia, gran productor de carbón que se niega a reducir el uso de ese combustible fósil, "la mitad del gabinete del primer ministro Tony Abbott es católico, incluido
el propio Abbott", añade en un análisis publicado en la página web The Conversation.
Sin embargo, en Estados Unidos, donde los escépticos del cambio climático son muy activos, la encíclica ha suscitado reacciones críticas de varios republicanos, incluido
el posible candidato a la Casa Blanca Jeb Bush, católico, según la prensa norteamericana.
El papa argentino viajará en septiembre al Congreso estadounidense, tras una visita a la Asamblea General de Naciones Unidas.
Francisco subrayó la responsabilidad de los países ricos en el calentamiento climático, un aspecto clave de las negociaciones para conseguir un acuerdo en París.
Los países en vías de desarrollo piden que se exijan más esfuerzos a los Estados más industrializados, mientras estos últimos alertan sobre la parte creciente de India y
China en las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero.
"El papa destaca la atención que debemos prestar a los más débiles", un elemento que los negociadores deberán tener en mente hasta el final, asegura Laurence Tubiana,
responsable de la delegación francesa para las negociaciones.
Foto por : AFP
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