Alex Mills
By Alex Mills
Pope Francis issued an encyclical on global warming on June 18 that said human activity is a primary cause of global warming. The encyclical, considered one of the highest forms of papal writing, raised many questions as to why the Vatican would issue such an important paper at this time.
Some speculate that the timing was planned to elevate the issue of global warming among Catholics and others who haven’t given it much thought recently.
Also, about 200 countries will meet in Paris in December to discuss a new climate change agreement. Pope Francis expressed disappointment earlier this year that nations have historically failed to reach an agreement limiting human emissions.
Also, should religious leaders take a stand on such issues as global warming? Is climate change a religious issue? Is it addressed in the Bible or other religious writings? Does that matter?
Pope Francis obviously believes that the Catholic Church should be engaged in these issues with the hope of influencing the outcome.
The encyclical attempts to convince people that there is strong scientific evidence that humans are the key piece of the global-warming puzzle. It states that global warming is primarily caused by the increase in greenhouse gases emitted by humans burning fossil fuels, and that there is an urgent need to reduce the use of fossil fuels and develop renewable energy.
Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, writes that the encyclical “mixes heartfelt concern for the status of the environment and man’s connection with the world around him with an often limited or confused understanding of the problem of pollution and meaning of markets.”
The climate change issues are more than just reducing greenhouse gases worldwide. There are other issues such as economic, political, property rights, standard of living, and theological. These issues have far reaching impact on the lives of people around the world.
The document says that capitalism, property rights and a free economic system creates over consumption, and that capitalism “seems incapable of guaranteeing respect for the environment.” Harsh criticism for a system that has made the U.S. a world leader.
The encyclical states that polluters should take responsibility for their actions and reduce consumption that will in turn lower global warming. The Pope says that “disproportionate consumption” steals from poor nations and future generations, and that waste and degradation of the environment will result in disaster unless current lifestyles change.
While the message clearly is anti-capitalism and anti-fossil fuels, it fails to address solutions other than changing our lifestyles. Could that also mean that Pope Francis would give up traveling around the world by airplane and other means of transportation that uses fossil fuels?
Between now and December, people around the world will read and interpret the meaning of the encyclical. It is clear that Pope Francis has initiated a discussion regarding the theology of the environment.
Alex Mills is President of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. The opinions expressed are solely of the author.
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