Pope Francis Takes On the Climate Deniers
Urges Immediate Action - Economic and Political Change
The Climate Crisis Is Real
The Pope is very frank in his assessment of the situation and claims that we are not doing enough. He says that irreversible damage has been done. Time is running out. His tone is frustrated and worried. Pope Francis takes on the climate deniers and forcefully asserts that the crisis is real and caused by human activity.
Laudate Deum is the Pope’s latest document on the environmental crisis. Pope Francis laments the slow pace of progress in the last eight years since his publication of Care for Our Common Home – Laudato Si in 2015. (Laudate Deum means Praise God and appears to refer to Psalm 148 which urges all creation to praise God.)
Here are some key points in the Pope’s message.
Very Limited Progress
The global community comes in for criticism. Every year since 2015 there have been meetings of 190 countries on the environment and there has been little progress according to Pope Francis. The tone of frustration is not that far below the surface of the text. He places the blame squarely on placing national interests ahead of the needs of the world.
Technology Is Not Enough and May be Harmful
Focusing on economic consumption and technology is not the answer since they are based on the notion of unlimited or infinite growth. For example, mining lithium for batteries or rare earth minerals degrades the environment, jeopardizes the welfare of society, and leads to the oppression of local and indigenous people.
“Not every increase in power represents progress for humanity.” (#24)
The Profit Motive Makes Climate Progress Impossible
The cause for lack of progress on the climate progress is the profit imperative. Solving the problem is not in the interests of “economic powers” because they are only concerned with maximizing profit. “They want “the greatest profit possible at minimum cost” (13). This makes progress on climate change impossible according to Pope Francis.
Pushing for National and International Change
The Pope calls for a fundamental change in politics on the national and international levels. He says that individual actions are important such as minimizing waste but makes it clear that they are not sufficient. He makes it clear that individuals and communities need to take urgent action. Individuals and communities need to focus on building national and international movements to pressure the “sources of power” to change. The Pope encourages everyone to take an interest in international efforts such as COP28 and UN negotiations to transition from fossil fuel to clean and renewable sources of energy.
Hope Is Necessary to Protect the Poorest
We cannot give up hope because if we give up the climate change catastrophe will come down hardest on the poorest people on the planet. We must do this not only for our children but for humanity as a global community.
It’s Not Too Late to Act
The March 20, 2023, report issued by U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that by 2030 the earth’s temperature will probably increase more than 1.5 degrees Celsius or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above preindustrial temperatures. This is the point at which the earth’s warming will be irreversible. An article in the Washington Post on March 20, 2023, made the point that when we pass this threshold climate, catastrophic storms, floods, droughts, wildfires will become much more common and there will be no going back. However, a group of scientists tell us that we can and must still do things to minimize the increases beyond the threshold.
Laudato Si Movement