The much-awaited papal message officially released on Thursday, June 18, lays out Pope Francis’ theological argument on care for the environment and swift action on climate change.
He points to the intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet, the conviction that everything in the world is connected, the critique of new paradigms and forms of power derived from technology, the call to seek other ways of understanding the economy and progress, the value proper to each creature, the human meaning of ecology, the need for forthright and honest debate, the serious responsibility of international and local policy, the throwaway culture and the proposal of a new lifestyle.
Here are some key points from the nearly 200 pages of the encyclical “Laudato Si,” (Praise Be) in what Pope Francis describes as a “dialogue with all people about our common home.”
- Climate change is real, man-made, and it’s getting worse
Pope Francis draws on the works on dozens of scientists and pointed out that there is “a very solid scientific consensus” indicating that climate change is real and if left unsolved it will create “ grave implications on environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods.”
Climate change for him represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity today, adding that “its worst impact will probably be felt by developing countries in coming decades” hitting the poor and vulnerable the hardest.
He argues that “humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it.”
“ If present trends continue, this century may well witness extraordinary climate change and an unprecedented destruction of ecosystems, with serious consequences for all of us,” he says.
- Clean up the warming, filthy world
The Pope challenges the world to stop pollution that produces a broad spectrum of health hazards, especially for the poor, and causes millions of premature deaths.
The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth, he says as he asks people to recycle and counteract the “throwaway culture” as well as maximize the use of public transport and carpooling.
The Pope has called to tap renewable energy sources and “maximum energy efficiency.”
He stressed that the pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet’s capacity that people’s contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes, such as those which even now periodically occur in different areas of the world.
“ The effects of the present imbalance can only be reduced by our decisive action, here and now. We need to reflect on our accountability before those who will have to endure the dire consequences,” he said.
- Guard the loss of biodiversity and water scarcity
The Pope stated that the exploitation of the planet has already exceeded acceptable limits and that poverty has not been resolved.
Pope Francis said one particularly serious problem is the quality of water available to the poor. Every day, unsafe water results in many deaths and the spread of water-related diseases, including those caused by microorganisms and chemical substances.
“ Access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights. Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity,” Pope Francis stated.
He said that the earth’s resources are also being plundered because of short-sighted approaches to the economy, commerce and production.
Because all creatures are connected, each must be cherished with love and respect, for all of us as living creatures are dependent on one another, the Pope added.
“ Each area is responsible for the care of this family. This will require undertaking a careful inventory of the species which it hosts, with a view to developing programmes and strategies of protection with particular care for safeguarding species heading towards extinction,” he said.
- Bridge the rich-poor divide
Inequity affects not only individuals but entire countries, the Pope stressed. “It compels us to consider an ethics of international relations. A true “ecological debt” exists, particularly between the global north and south, connected to commercial imbalances with effects on the environment, and the disproportionate use of natural resources by certain countries over long periods of time.”
He stated that “ the foreign debt of poor countries has become a way of controlling them, yet this is not the case where ecological debt is concerned.”
“ In different ways, developing countries, where the most important reserves of the biosphere are found, continue to fuel the development of richer countries at the cost of their own present and future. The land of the southern poor is rich and mostly unpolluted, yet access to ownership of goods and resources for meeting vital needs is inhibited by a system of commercial relations and ownership which is structurally perverse,” he said.
Regarding climate change, Pope Francis stressed that there are “differentiated responsibilities.”
He said greater attention must be given to “the needs of the poor, the weak and the vulnerable, in a debate often dominated by more powerful interests.”
“ We need to strengthen the conviction that we are one single human family. There are no frontiers or barriers, political or social, behind which we can hide, still less is there room for the globalization of indifference,” the Pope said.
- The world needs to act now
The encyclical comes in a time where world leaders gather in December this year in Paris to try to hammer out a global deal on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Pope Francis believes that protecting creation is first and foremost a moral and religious issue and that governments will take responsibility to heart as they address climate change.
“ A global consensus is essential for confronting the deeper problems, which cannot be resolved by unilateral actions on the part of individual countries,” he said. Such a consensus could lead, for example, to planning a sustainable and diversified agriculture, developing renewable and less polluting forms of energy, encouraging a more efficient use of energy, promoting a better management of marine and forest resources, and ensuring universal access to drinking water.
International negotiations, the Pope said, cannot make significant progress due to positions taken by countries which place their national interests above the global common good.
“ Those who will have to suffer the consequences of what we are trying to hide will not forget this failure of conscience and responsibility. Even as this Encyclical was being prepared, the debate was intensifying. We believers cannot fail to ask God for a positive outcome to the present discussions, so that future generations will not have to suffer the effects of our ill-advised delays,” the Pope stressed.
Many climate experts, activists, civil society groups and governments are hopeful that the moral weight of the Pope Francis’ strong message will provide a push for climate actions.
International environment non-government organization World Wildlife Fund hopes that Pope Francis’ adding his voice to the chorus of people around the world calling for decisive climate action will have strong political weight and spur action from governments, according to WWF Philippines’ climate change and energy programme head Atty. Gia Ibay.
“ The encyclical places the spotlight on caring for the planet, its people, and the poor. Pope Francis also strengthens the focus on how climate change and environmental degradation affects everyone, but especially the world’s poor,” Ibay said. “ WWF hopes that the increased attention on climate change and sustainable development this year turns into real commitments from all governments.”
Philippine Climate Change Commission Mary Ann Lucille Sering said that as the final climate talks in Paris is underway, there is a need to highlight the urgency of addressing the issue of helping the world’s poorest countries cope with the devastating impacts of climate change.
“ Paris climate talks must deliver clarity on key political issues, as well as clarity on the extent rich countries will reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and on what developing countries are willing to contribute to mitigate their emissions,” Sering stressed.
The Philippines, along with 19 other vulnerable nations have said drastic action to cut greenhouse gas emissions and hold global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees would prevent dangerous and unmanageable levels of climate change.
The country was chosen to chair the Climate Vulnerable Forum, an alliance of 20 nations highly vulnerable to a warming planet.
On the other hand, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hails Pope Francis strong message on environmental protection and climate change.
“It is an issue of social justice, human rights and fundamental ethics,” the UN chief said, urging the international community to “do far more to help the poorest and most vulnerable members of society, who are suffering most from climate impacts yet had least to do with causing the problem.”
Mr. Ban deeply thanked Pope Francis for taking such a “strong stand” on the need for urgent global action. His moral voice is part of a growing chorus of people from all faiths and all sectors of society speaking out for climate action.
photo credit: UN News Center; IVAbano
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