Combating Climate Change as a Moral Imperative

The moral call to act on climate change has grown and it is resonating around the world. Morality is a powerful force that transcends politics, race, ethnicity, gender and geography. Religions are making a moral argument and faith groups around the world are calling for ambitious climate action. This morality is also inspiring them to divest their holdings from fossil fuels.

Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical is an important catalyst for religious activism in support of climate action. The science based encyclical highlights efforts to combat climate change as a moral duty and calls us to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.

The Pope is not the only religious leader who is leading the charge, prior to the release of the encyclical the head of the Episcopal church called for climate action. Similar calls have come from Hindus, Buddhists and Jews. Recently, Islamic leaders called for an end to fossil fuels in a document called the Islamic Declaration on Climate Change.

As explained by Al Gore, The issue of climate change "is now being resolved into a question of right and wrong...Once questions are resolved into a choice between right and wrong, then the laws change."

Like civil rights, gay rights, gender equality and apartheid, climate change is a matter of right and wrong. Unlike so many issues in our world today, there is no middle road when it comes to climate change. Just as you are either for or against racial equality, we must choose whether we are for or against climate action.

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Why Republican's Fear the Pope's Environmental Message

Pope Francis is on his way to the US and his position on a number of issues is at odds with the core of the GOP's platform. The historic visit will include an address to a joint session of the Republican controlled Congress on Thursday, September 24th. Francis will be the first Pontiff ever to address Congress.

Republicans have warned the pope to avoid speaking on environmental matters, some, like Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, who is himself a Catholic, have even vowed to boycott the Pope's speech.

Republicans feel betrayed as the Pope has put forth views that are diametrically opposed to their positions on the environment and climate change in particular. The Encyclical that was released by Francis this summer flatly refutes the Republican's stance on global warming. Not only did the Pope say that human activity causes climate change he clearly indicated that politicians must work to develop policies that combat it including moving away from fossil fuels.

The Catholic church was once the spiritual refuge of conservatism, but that has changed under the leadership of Pope Francis. Rather than review the anti-science folly of their own position the GOP has turned on the Pope.

This does not bode well for Republicans as the majority of Americans like this Pope while those who sit in congress are more unpopular than they have ever been. Christian conservatives have long made up the core of Republican support, however, many of these Christians respect Francis whether or not they identify as Catholics.

The Republican's disdain for the Pope's views extend far beyond his embrace of a science informed view of environmental issues. They are also at odds with the Pope's take on immigration, guns and capitalism. The GOP dismisses the Pope the same way they dismiss anyone whose views conflict with their own. According to Republicans the Pope should not be listened to because he is a progressive liberal, and a socialist.

Although the GOP would prefer that Americans ignore the Pope's message that is unlikely to happen. Millions of Americans will follow his address as will House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, both of whom are Catholic. Although the Pope's visit will undoubtedly challenge his party's position Boehner nonetheless called it, "one of the biggest events in the history of the Capitol."

Republicans have good reason to fear the Pope's message. With the 2016 are elections just a little more than a year away, a rebuke from the world's most prominent faith leader is cause for concern.

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Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is not Optional

Pope Francis has designated September 1, 2015 as the inaugural World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. The Orthodox Church has been celebrating creation care since 1989 and now the world's 1.25 billion Catholics as well as Christians of every denomination are invited to do the same. The Church of England’s lead Bishop for the environment has called on churches to support the day of prayer and the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada has written a letter of support.

"We live in a time where all Christians are faced with identical and important challenges and we must give common replies to these in order to appear more credible and effective." the Pope said in an August 6th letter announcing the day of prayer. "Therefore it is my hope that this Day can involve, in some way, other Churches and ecclesial Communities and be celebrated in union with the initiatives that the World Council of Churches is promoting on this issue." The Pope added that he "looks forward to the widest possible cooperation."

Religions around the world appear to share the Pope's message and they are making powerful faith based arguments to act on climate change.

The Pope reiterated his concern for creation a point which he made emphatically in his Encyclical. Now the Pope is calling Christians to address the environmental degradation of our Earth. As the Pope said in the August 6th letter

"As Christians we wish to offer our contribution towards overcoming the ecological crisis which humanity is living through....The ecological crisis therefore calls us to...an ecological conversion...living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.”

Churches around the world are planning events to reflect on the ways our lifestyles impact the environment, Pope Francis will be joining bishops, priests, religious and lay people from 5.00pm (Rome time) in St Peter’s Basilica for a special Liturgy of the Word.

Pope Francis will soon be visiting the US as part of what can only be described as a moral mobilization. Led by the Pope's historic efforts, the world's faith communities are at the forefront of efforts to adopt a more ecological conscious way of life. 

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The Pope's Encyclical Opposes Fossil Fuels and Supports Renewables

The Encyclical of Pope Francis clearly states that fossil fuels are a leading cause of climate change causing emissions and as such we must reduce their use. He has called for stringent policies to restrict emissions and increased use of renewable energy.

"We know 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. Until greater progress is made in developing widely accessible sources of renewable energy, it is legitimate to choose the lesser of two evils or to find short-term solutions. But the international community has still not reached adequate agreements about the responsibility for paying the costs of this energy transition."

One of the more interesting aspects of the encyclical effectively refutes the fossil fuel industry's argument that cheap energy is good for poor countries and helps lift them out of poverty.

The argument is that low energy prices lift poorer nations out of poverty. This is the view of ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who rhetorically asked, “What good is it to save the planet if humanity suffers?”

The truth is that investing in a fossil fuel based economy will add to the considerable burdens of poorer societies and put them that much further behind the developed world. The pope has shown interest in places like Africa, and the continent has tremendous renewable energy potential that could leap frog fossil fuel infrastructure altogether.

The pope's anti-fossil fuel message adds to support from consumers, investors, governments.

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Pope Francis and COP21

While Pope Francis is not the first pope to address environmental concerns he is the first to embark on a global campaign with lofty ambitions that include influencing the outcome at COP21 later this year in Paris. Pope Benedict XVI and John Paul II, spoke about the environment and “creation”, but unlike his predecessors Pope Francis has made climate change the focus of his efforts. The recently released encyclical is highly critical of capitalism and advocates nothing short of a revolution.

It is no coincidence that the pope chose Francis of Assisi the patron saint of animals, as his namesake at the start of his papacy in 2011. The pope claimed that he shares values with the 12th century Franciscan monk.


The pope's call to action in his encyclical starts by saying that, "Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last 200 years.” While his point of view is informed by science, Francis makes it clear that we have a moral duty to do a far better job of stewarding the Earth.

The pope is not focusing his efforts on Catholics he is looking to have maximum impact and as such he want to reach everyone.

Starting on July 1, the Vatican will host a number of events surrounding the encyclical. The pope plans to meet with President Obama and address Congress later this year. He also is scheduled to address the UN general assembly on September 23rd.

The encyclical and all of his meetings lead up to the much vaunted COP21 climate talks that will take place in Paris at the end of the year. By being such a vocal proponent of climate action the pontiff hopes to be able to improve the chances of securing a global emissions reduction agreement this year.

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Pope Deprives Republican Climate Deniers of Religious Support

Climate denying Republicans can no longer take refuge in religion. Those who eschew the virtues of science have been morally defrocked by the Pope's recent rejection. In the process of calling for bold environmental action, the Pope has admonished conservative critics in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The Pope squarely addressed Republican climate deniers when he said, "It must be said that some committed and prayerful Christians, with the excuse of realism and pragmatism, tend to ridicule expressions of concern for the environment.”

The Pope's encyclical refutes of the GOP's position on the environment, pollution and climate change. The papal document even goes after a key tenant of right wing philosophy with the words, “the conservative ideal of individualism is undermining the common good.” His use of the term common good is deliberately interwoven with planetary health.

The Pope's position on the environment is attracting vociferous resistance from Catholic climate skeptics. This includes men like John Boehner, the Republican leader of the House of Representatives and Rick Santorum, a Republican presidential candidate.

Comments from American conservatives have prompted a response from the Pope's closest adviser, Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga. He singled out profit focused capitalist motivations from “movements in the United States.”

Earlier this year, Stephen Moore, a Catholic economist, called the Pope a “complete disaster”, saying he was part of “a radical green movement that is at its core anti-Christian, anti-people and anti-progress”. Greg Gutfeld from Fox News referred to the Pope as the “most dangerous man in the world.”

Resistance to the Papal Encyclical is being organized by the fossil fuel funded Heartland Institute. During the Vatican's recent climate summit, the Institute staged a parallel event featuring speakers that challenged the science of climate-change.

“The Holy Father is being misled by ‘experts’ at the United Nations who have proven unworthy of his trust,” said Heartland Institute President Joseph Bast. “Humans are not causing a climate crisis on God’s Green Earth – in fact, they are fulfilling their Biblical duty to protect and use it for the benefit of humanity. Though Pope Francis’s heart is surely in the right place, he would do his flock and the world a disservice by putting his moral authority behind the United Nations’ unscientific agenda on the climate.”

Also at this event was Oklahoma Republican James Inhofe, the chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. He agreed with those conservatives who warned the Pope to stay away from climate change. It is no coincidence that Inhofe, who calls global warming a "myth", has received more than $2 million from the oil industry.

The GOP is fighting a losing battle. While Pope Francis is one of the most trusted and popular people on Earth, Republicans are increasingly being perceived as some of the most unscrupulous and politically opportunistic climate deniers on the planet.

Source: Global Warming is Real

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Pope Francis' Moral Call to Environmental Action

The new encyclical written by pope Francis may draw heavily upon science, but it is ultimately a moral call to environmental and social action. Moral and faith based advocacy of climate action is of immense benefit in reaching those who are not familiar with the merits of science. We have needed a new narrative for some time and now we are seeing the beginning of a positive narrative take shape.

In April a Vatican Conference called for a "moral awakening," now Francis has issued an encyclical that makes the moral case for environmental action. A Papal Encyclical is a teaching document historically intended for Catholics, however recent encyclicals have been intended for a much broader audience. This top level teaching issued by the Pope calls us to reevaluate our understanding of the implications of faith.

As people of the book, Christians, Jews and Muslims are specifically called to correct misinterpretations of scripture regarding our relationship with nature. As explained in the encyclical:

"We are not God. The earth was here before us and it has been given to us. This allows us to respond to the charge that Judaeo-Christian thinking, on the basis of the Genesis account which grants man “dominion” over the earth (cf. Gen 1:28), has encouraged the unbridled exploitation of nature by painting him as domineering and destructive by nature. This is not a correct interpretation of the Bible as understood by the Church."

"Although it is true that we Christians have at times incorrectly interpreted the Scriptures, nowadays we must forcefully reject the notion that our being created in God’s image and given dominion over the earth justifies absolute domination over other creatures. The biblical texts are to be read in their context, with an appropriate hermeneutic, recognizing that they tell us to “till and keep” the garden of the world (cf. Gen 2:15). “Tilling” refers to cultivating, ploughing or working, while “keeping” means caring, protecting, overseeing and preserving. This implies a relationship of mutual responsibility between human beings and nature. "

"human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbor and with the Earth itself."

The pope characterized environmental action as a moral priority, indeed a duty and an obligation. The extent of the required changes demand that we become moral stewards of the Earth.

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The Pope's Encyclical is an Indictment of Capitalism

The recent encyclical of Pope Francis is as much about capitalism as it is about the environment. The pope clearly point to the interrelationship between unbridled capitalism and environmental degradation. His encyclical states that our economic system has importance implications for our efforts to combat climate change. We must reexamine the tenants of capitalism that give us license to abuse nature.

Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga of Honduras, who coordinates the Vatican’s inner council of cardinals said, “the ideology surrounding environmental issues is too tied to a capitalism that doesn’t want to stop ruining the environment because they don’t want to give up their profits."

Pope Francis himself warned that capitalism is the “root cause” of all the world’s problems: “As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems.”

Despite growing ecological awareness global consumption appears to be increasing rather than decreasing. The encyclical warns against excessive consumerism which is, "killing our culture, values and ethics." The encyclical calls us to care for the Earth and abandon greed and the "throwaway culture" that is rampant in contemporary culture.

Francis is advocating moving away from a system which "plunder[s] nature to sustain the frenetic rhythm of consumption that is inherent to it."  The danger lies in, "the greedy exploitation of environmental resources. Monopolizing of lands, deforestation, the appropriation of water, inadequate agro-toxics are some of the evils that tear man from the land of his birth. Climate change, the loss of biodiversity and deforestation are already showing their devastating effects in the great cataclysms we witness."

The pope is calling for nothing less than a change to our economic system. The encyclical describes the idolatry inherent in the worship of money just like the golden calf in the Old Testament.

Pope Francis makes it clear that trickle down economics does not work and the invisible hand cannot be trusted. The evils of capitalism are described as being, "driven by pride of domination, of possessions, manipulation, of exploitation; we do not care for Creation, we do not respect it."

The encyclical not only criticizes the current economic system it offers an alternative. Francis is calling for a “radical new financial and economic system to avoid human inequality and ecological devastation.” The goal of such a system is cherish all who are part of creation which "means causing the world to grow responsibly, transforming it so that it may be a garden, a habitable place for everyone."

The pope calls us to reevaluate our economic system. If we are to seriously address the challenge of climate action and the wider issue of ecological degradation we must examine the culture which supports greed and limitless consumption.

In essence the pope is saying the to succeed in engaging the broad range of environmental issues we must tie our economic practices to ethical conduct.

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