Download Auxiliary Bishop Dr

Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Bernd Uhl
Archdiocese of Freiburg, Germany
Rome, 27. April 2007
Global Climate Change and Catholic Social Teaching
Global climate change caused by human activities is a reality for which there is a broad
consensus in the global scientific community. In the meantime those entrusted with political
responsibility have come to realize that only a combined effort can reduce the long-term
increases in average global temperatures and subsequent destructive results for nature and
humanity. Climate protection has become a pivotal topic of national and international politics.
During the past months the heads of state of China, USA, and Russia and also of states in the
European Union have declared their willingness to reduce CO2 emissions.
I. Sacred Teaching Authority of the Church and Climate Change
1. Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (1965)
Climate change is one of the "signs of the times" affecting the Catholic Church as a global
organization. The Catholic Church must take a stand on this present-day and urgent question.
According the Second Vatican Council, the Church has the duty to scrutinize the signs of the
times and to interpret them in the light of the Gospel (Gaudium et Spes 4). The Church shares the
hopes and fears of humanity. Interestingly enough though, in this document where the challenges
and problems burdening humankind are listed, the threat to the natural resources of this planet is
not mentioned.
At that time, maintaining creation and protecting the climate were at most topics of only
marginal interest in public discussions. In 1965 no one gave any thought to the possibility that
emissions of greenhouse gases could have dramatic consequences for the Earth's atmosphere and
thereby for human beings, animals, and plants. Gaudium et Spes is marked by a generally
optimistic tone. However, the pastoral constitution is absolutely important for the further
development of Church teaching. It encourages the Church to take on burning issues of the day.
Church teaching can't only be interested in the timeless questions of theology; it also has to
answer the current and urgent questions of the present day.
2. From Populorum Progessio (1967) to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the
Church (2004)
This year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Pope Paul VI.'s encyclical Populorum
Progressio, on the development of peoples. It is a milestone in the history of Catholic Social
Teaching. The encyclical urgently demands international solidarity with respect to the
development of peoples. Pope Paul VI. makes suggestions regarding just distribution of the
goods of this world. "... the earth truly was created to provide man with the necessities of life and
the tools for his own progress ... God intended the earth and everything in it for the use of all
human beings and peoples ..." (No. 22) The created goods of this world (bona creata) are to
benefit everyone. Many such goods are mentioned by name, including material goods and
education. But here also things like air, water, or climate aren't expressly listed as common
1
goods. At that time they were considered to be unendangered goods, which naturally would
always be available in unlimited amounts. Their purity and distribution, and certainly the
warming of the Earth's atmosphere, weren't a subject of discussion.
It wasn't until the many encyclicals and speeches of Pope John Paul II. that topics such as
environment, ecology, gene technology, environmental pollution, biodiversity, protection of
forests, atmosphere and biosphere, toxic waste, energy consumption, biotechnology, and other
environmental topics emerged. In January of 1987 in an address to a study group at the Pontifical
Academy of the Sciences the pope expressed the central idea: "Climate is a good that has to be
protected." It is encouraging that the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church has
gathered and organized the scattered statements from papal teachings on the topic of protection
of the environment. This shows that papal teachings were always commenting on questions of
bioethics in public discussions and that these teachings were up to date. The Catechism of the
Catholic Church (1993) speaks in general about the responsibility of human beings for creation.
The seventh commandment enjoins respect for the integrity of creation making it therefore a
religious duty to maintain the integrity of nature. Mineral resources, plants, and animals are to be
put to wise and moderate use. Therefore it is certainly legitimate to include climate in its entirety,
consisting of air, water, ocean currents, snow, ice, and surface land, in the definition of this duty.
(No. 2415).
II. Basis of Sacred Church Teaching About Climate Protection The Church's teaching on
climate protection is nourished by two sources. Its reasoning is based on Biblical knowledge on
the one hand and on social and philosophical principles on the other. This teaching is supported
by arguments of theology and of natural law. Sacred Church teaching reaches inward to the
members of the Church, but also outward into world opinion. The most important lines of
argument with respect to protection of the environment and of climate are: Creation is good
because it was made by God. Human beings have the responsibility to maintain it. There is such
a thing as improper use of natural goods by human beings. Natural goods like water, air, and land
belong to all people, but they aren't distributed in an equitable manner. The world community,
the individual countries, and every individual have the duty to preserve the environment.
God's Creation
"We believe that the Earth is a gift from God … the cosmos displays the goodness, beauty and
power of God". This is how the Australian Conference of Bishops' position paper on climate
change begins1. This brochure is very well designed and directed at the general public. It
explains the most essential aspects in a few sentences and lets pictures do the talking. This
brochure can motivate people to see God's handiwork in creation.
According to Biblical teachings about the creation of the world (Genesis 1 and 2), the earth is a
gift from God to human beings, who themselves are made in the image of God. Human beings
are intertwined with nature as the summit of a step-by-step development. But they also stand in
opposition to creation in order to form it and to use it. God looks at everything, which He has
made and finds it "very good". (Genesis 1,31). This Biblical view of the cosmos and nature as
God's creation has consequences for our way of thinking and speaking. It makes a crucial
difference whether we talk about "creation" or about "environment", just as it makes a difference
2
whether we speak of an "unborn child" or an "embryo". Use of language makes for a
differentiation of values. "Environment" sounds neutral, less important, secondary. The word
"creation" embodies value. It reminds us of God, the Creator of all things. Today however the
concept "environment" may also be merely neutral technical terminology. It is used over and
over again in proclamations of Catholic teaching as a matter of course.
Still, the concept of "environment" can also conceal a view of the world that wants to do without
God, resulting in nature being seen and made absolute as the only creative quantity. Without a
belief in God's creation, there is a danger that nature or the earth will be made into a god. Then
human beings would have no counterpart; they would be nothing more than a result of nature.
Radical ecological movements like ecocentralism can then go so far as to subordinate everything
to the protection of nature and the environment. They demand radical measures of population
control in order to reduce the numbers of human beings on earth in order to restore a natural
balance. Pope John Paul II. criticized this view of the environment severely2.
The Role of Human Beings in Protecting the Climate
Christian teaching about protection of the climate is based on a certain image of human beings.
"For man, created to God's image, received a mandate to subject to himself the earth and all it
contains, and to govern the world with justice and holiness … to relate himself and the totality of
things to Him Who was to be acknowledged as the Lord and Creator of all ...3. Global Climate
Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good (2001), A Statement of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks of human stewardship of God's creation.
Human beings have the freedom and the responsibility, and are called upon to use the gifts they
have been given to protect human life and dignity, and to exercise their care for God's creation
with intelligence and justice. Human beings have the capacity to transform and in a certain sense
create the world through their own work and therefore should remind themselves that all things
come from God's prior and original gift of the things that are4.
It contradicts this image of human beings when they exhaust the possibilities of natural
resources. Human dominion over the Earth is not absolute and must not be practiced arbitrarily.
The greatness of humanity consists of being good stewards of the natural goods of this Earth.
The Disturbed Relationship Between Human Beings and Creation
Human beings live from the fruits of the earth that nourish them, use the domestic animals that
serve various purposes, exploit the mineral riches in the ground, and need water, energy, and air
in order to live. There is a symbiosis between human beings and nature. Particularly in the
culture of gardens you can sense the original harmony of nature and human beings. Many people
take pleasure in their own garden and discover peace, quiet, and relaxation there. The parks and
zoos in many cities of the world are also oases of quiet and islands of peace among human
beings and between nature and human beings.
However, the dominating experience in dealings of human beings with nature is quite a different
one. Often there was uncontrolled exploitation of nature. Forests were destroyed, bodies of water
were polluted, the air was poisoned, oceans were over-fished, and land was contaminated. The
3
threatening climate catastrophe is a result of inconsiderate and thoughtless consumption of
natural resources. The original balance between human beings and nature, which God intended,
as described to us in Genesis 1 and 2, has been destroyed by the hubris of human beings.
Original sin described in Genesis 3 doesn't just have an effect on the relationship between God
and human beings; it also affects the relationship of human beings to nature.
Pope John Paul II.'s encyclical Centesiums annus (1991) places the blame for the ecological
crisis on the behavior of human beings who set themselves up in place of God and make
arbitrary use of the earth, subjecting it without restraint to their will. Nature is then more
tyrannized than governed by human beings who subsequently end up provoking a rebellion on
the part of nature (No. 37). In this context, Pope John Paul II. speaks of "consumerism“, by
which he means that human beings, alienated from God, deplete the goods of this Earth and even
their own existence in an excessive and undisciplined manner.
"All have sinned" St. Paul observes in his Letter to the Romans (3,23). In this case, of course, he
is talking about how the Jews don't have any advantage over the pagans when it comes to sin or
redemption. However, in very dramatic images Paul describes how human beings have broken
away from God's commandments. All are infected with original sin.
In dealings with God's creation, all also have sinned. Global climate change has its causes all
over the world. All countries, peoples, and human beings on the earth share the responsibility for
greenhouse gas emissions, for destruction of forests which absorb such gases. In the
industrialized countries energy produced in power plants, industry production itself, and, above
all, automobile traffic result in massive amounts of CO2 being expelled into the atmosphere. In
countries of the southern hemisphere, forests are being cleared and burned exhaustively and
progressively. At the very least, each and every one of us wastes energy because we use energy
carelessly without paying attention to the consequences. Therefore it's pointless to seek
individual guilty parties for global climate change and the ecological crisis. Sometimes it's
Christianity, Communism, the United States, oil companies, or others who are accused. All share
the responsibility to a greater or lesser extent; therefore all have to make their contribution to
protecting the climate.
Protection of the Climate Is a Question of Justice
Protection of the world climate is a question of justice. Every human being has a right to live and
to live well. To exercise this right, human beings need a share of the common goods of the
world. Human beings have a right to pure air, clean drinking water, a place to live, work, a just
compensation for this work, and sufficient supplies of energy. Without this basic supply of the
goods of the Earth, which are necessary for life, none can avail themselves of other human
rights. What good is human dignity for the human being who is starving, freezing or thirsting?
What good is freedom for the human being who can't move away? What good is a right to life
for the human being who will lose his basis for existence through the threatening global climate
change?
One of the great accomplishments of Catholic Social Teaching and the papal encyclicals was to
have pointed out the conflict between capital and work in the 19th century and to have shown
4
ways to overcome or to moderate these contradictions. Catholic Social Teaching played a
decisive role in overcoming radical and dictatorial solutions such as those offered by
communism or liberalism. In many countries Catholic Social Teaching influenced legislation,
political parties, and various social movements - I will limit myself to mentioning Christian trade
unions and the International Kolping Society - and contributed to improving the social situation
of workers. Catholic Social Teaching always emphasized the priority of human factors over
capital. "People are in the center of our comments" is the express intention of Gaudium et Spes in
its summary of Church teaching regarding the relationship between the Church and the world.
Justice and peace for human beings are the goals of this pastoral constitution. Justice for creation
was not yet a topic. That industrial production was carried out to the detriment of nature and that
this continues yet today have only recently become dramatically clear. Justice for nature is the
main demand of our time. We don't just need social management of the earth's goods; we also
need ecological management.
Even if nature as a general concept can't be an entity endowed with rights - that is reserved for
human beings - it is helpful to apply the classic principle of natural law to nature itself. It is
called „Neminem laedere“ – Do no one any harm. This concept opposes every improper use and
the senseless destruction of natural resources merely for the purpose of cheap production and
high profits. It is a violation of this principle when power plants give off unfiltered soot and
polluting particles and the energy produced isn't even used correctly. It is a violation of this
principle when automobiles consume too much gasoline and available technology for fuel
efficiency is not utilized. It is a violation of this principle when kerosene consumption in air
traffic continues to increase, and the airlines are rewarded for this waste through tax breaks. All
these emissions aggravate the greenhouse effect and cause long-term damage to the climate as a
natural resource
Naturally nature can't be injured or suffer like an actual legal entity. The air doesn't care if it is
four or eight degrees warmer. The cosmos and the earth have experienced much more extreme
temperatures. As far as that goes, human beings can only "hurt" nature in a figurative sense. But
by abusing nature, in the final analysis human beings damage themselves, because they are also a
part of the ecosystem. Human beings damage themselves and present generations because global
climate change is more and more noticeable in increasing heat waves, storms, and floods. But
above all human beings damage future generations who will be increasingly impacted by the
effects of global climate change. Human beings damage animals and plants. Our current lack of
protection of the climate is a global and inter-generational problem of justice.
The Church understands itself as an advocate for justice. It - like Jesus Christ - champions the
poor in a special way. Global climate change caused by human beings affects the poor in
particular. The burdens of global climate change are distributed disproportionately. In particular,
the poor countries of the southern hemisphere, which only made marginal contributions to global
climate change, have difficulties in adjusting to the changes. The industrialized countries on the
other hand, who were chiefly responsible for the emissions of greenhouse gases which damage
the climate, can protect themselves from the consequences far better 5. The poorer and weaker
the people are, the fewer the means they have to avoid the consequences of global climate
change or to adjust to it or to remedy the damage already done. This is also true for entire regions
of the world.
5
In comparison to the wealthy industrialized nations, the countries of the southern hemisphere as
well as the Arctic and its neighboring countries are affected to a much greater extent. The
consequences of global climate change drastically take their toll on people there, although their
per capita contribution towards the causes of global climate change are still rather negligible.
Much the same applies to the poorer populations groups in the more affluent countries. This is
why it is a question of justice that the industrial, transformational, and emerging nations as well
as the elites in the developing countries impose limits on their own "fossil development" and
take on the main burden of imposing necessary measures for avoiding or at least mitigating
worldwide use of fossil fuels as well as adapting to and to mastering these limits.
Measures for Protection of Climate
In a talk to participants of a physics symposium on December 18, 1982, Pope John II. pointed
out the crucial role of energy generation and production for the further development of humanity.
Energy production also has decisive significance with respect to protection of the climate and the
goal of restricting the increase of the average temperature of the earth by the year 2050 to
approximately 2° C. The pope refers to the necessity of identifying new sources of energy,
developing alternative sources, and increasing the security levels of nuclear energy6.
Reducing CO2 emissions from conventional power plants is missing in this catalog of measures.
There is also no urgent appeal to save energy. However it isn't the duty of Church teaching to
make technological suggestions. In the areas of politics and science, people know what has to be
done to protect the climate. What is missing is a firm determination to do what is necessary and
to do it together. Only a common effort of all countries, non-government organizations (NGO's),
and every individual can prevent a climate catastrophe.
The Vocation of the Church With Respect To Climate Protection
According to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, the holy people of God and the sacred
teaching authority of the Church share also in Christ's prophetic office7. It is the task of this
sacred teaching authority to appeal to human beings to repent and to warn them about the
harmful repercussions of their actions. After the tower in Siloam collapsed and buried so many
people under it, Jesus called to the people around him and said to them "If you do not repent, you
will all perish as they did!" (Luke 13,5). Generally prophets don't see more than anyone else.
However, prophets recognize facts and developments that others don't want to see because they
just don't want to be bothered or are deliberately blind to them. Often people let themselves be
controlled by their own self-interest.
The facts and circumstantial evidence of the threatening climate development are on the table for
all to see. You just have to take notice of them and draw the logical conclusions. In its prophetic
function, the Church as a global organization has the duty to make its faithful and all humanity
aware of the scenarios threatening the future and, trusting in God, to motivate people to take the
necessary steps toward repentance. In many countries the Church has a strong position as a moral
institution enjoying high public trust. Through sermons and catechesis it reaches millions of
people daily in churches, universities, schools, pre-schools, youth groups, and the mass media.
6
The Church must strengthen and further develop its role as a global player with respect to
protecting the climate. The Church will have to make contributions to protecting the climate in
those countries where it owns many buildings, forests, plots of land, and vehicles. The Church
should invest its money in companies which truly work for protection of the climate. They who
demand protection of the climate must practice it themselves.
Summary and Recommendation
"Climate is a good that must be protected". This sentence from Pope John Paul II. is the crucial
message of the sacred Church teaching about the problem of global climate change, whereby the
Church places itself on the side of all those who are seriously concerned about the future of
creation and humanity. In the meantime, at the level of the bishops' conferences there are
numerous systematic and comprehensive papers and statements about the problems facing the
climate. The Papal Council for Justice and Peace has gathered and organized the many
statements of Pope John Paul II. on the topic of "protection of creation" in the Compendium of
the Social Doctrine of the Church.
In conclusion if I could have one wish, it would be for a papal encyclical very soon dealing with
the future of creation, thereby including protection of the climate. This would clearly point the
direction for the position and the interests of the Catholic Church with respect to climate
protection. All those in the Catholic Church who champion the cause of preservation of creation
would be energized. World public opinion would take notice. Church teachings and
pronouncements on the topic of global climate change are still pretty much scattered. They need
to be reinforced, to be summarized, and to be made theologically accessible by way of the
highest sacred teaching of the Church. The time has come.
Annotations
1 Climate Change; Our Responsibility to Sustain God’s Earth. Australia 2005.
2 Kompendium der Soziallehre der Kirche, Freiburg 2006, deutsch Nr. 463).
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
3 vgl. Gaudium et spes Nr. 34.
4 vgl. Johannes Paul II., Centesimus annus Nr. 37.
5 vgl. Der Klimawandel: Brennpunkt globaler, intergenerationeller und ökologischer
Gerechtigkeit. Deutsche Bischofskonferenz 2006.
6 Kompendium der Soziallehre der Kirche Nr. 470.
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
7 Lumen Gentium Nr. 12.
7