Pope urges world to act before climate change destroys planet

[Lite Beer]

Pope urges world to act before climate change destroys planet

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis on Thursday urged the world to act quickly to prevent "extraordinary" climate change from destroying the planet and said wealthy countries must bear responsibility for creating the problem and for solving it.

In a radically worded letter addressed to every person on the planet, the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics blames human greed for the critical situation "Our Sister, mother Earth" now finds itself in.

"This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her," he writes in his long-anticipated Encyclical on the environment.

Arguing that environmental damage is intimately linked to global inequality, he goes on to say that doomsday predictions can no longer be dismissed and that: "The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth."

Green activists hailed the charismatic Argentinian pontiff’s widely-trailed intervention as a potential game-changer in the debate over what causes global warming and how to reverse it.

"Everyone, whether religious or secular, can and must respond to this clarion call for bold urgent action,"said Kumi Naido, the International Executive Director of Greenpeace.

Environmentalists hope the pope’s message will significantly increase the pressure for binding restrictions on carbon emissions to be agreed at global talks in Paris at the end of this year.

But even before the official publication, climate change sceptics had dismissed the document’s argument that the phenomenon is primarily man-made and that humanity can reverse it through lifestyle changes including an early phasing-out of fossil fuels.

"I don’t get economic policy from my bishops or my cardinal or my pope," US presidential candidate Jeb Bush said on the eve of the release in comments that underlined the depth of opposition in the United States to a binding agreement to curb greenhouse gases.

Fast track to disaster

The Encyclical references the arguments of the sceptics by acknowledging that volcanic activity, variation in the earth’s movements and the solar cycle are factors in climate change.

But it maintains that "most global warming in recent decades is due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases released mainly as a result of human activity".

And it leaves no doubt that Francis believes the world is on a fast-track to disaster after decades of inaction.

"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 writes.

Bemoaning the "remarkable" weakness of political responses to this, Francis accuses the sceptics of cynically ignoring or manipulating the scientific evidence.

"There are too many special interests, and economic interests easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected," he writes.

"We know how unsustainable is the behaviour of those who constantly consume and destroy, while others are not yet able to live in a way worthy of their human dignity," he adds, saying the time has come for parts of the world to accept decreased growth.

Conflict and war

The consequences of climate change, he argues, will include a rise in sea levels that will directly threaten the quarter of the world’s population that lives near or on coastlines, and will be felt most acutely by developing countries.

Highlighting warnings that acute water shortages could arise within decades, he writes that, "the control of water by large multinational business may become a major source of conflict in this century".

He adds: "It is foreseeable that, once certain resources have been depleted, the scene will be set for new wars," with the ever-present risk that nuclear or biological weapons could be used.

One of the strongest themes in the encyclical is that rich countries must accept responsibility for having caused climate change and should "help pay this debt" by cutting their carbon emissions and helping the developing world adopt sustainable forms of energy generation.

"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," the pope writes in perhaps the most radical passage of the document.

Francis says fossil fuel-based technology needs to be "progressively replaced without delay."

Developing countries will need financial help to do this from "countries which have experienced great growth at the cost of the ongoing pollution of the planet" and this pact has to be enshrined in binding accords.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Pope-urges-world-to-act-before-climate-change-dest-30262649.html

-- The Nation 2015-06-18

[green job]

So they are into that as well. No surprise.

[RickBradford]

Pope Francis on Thursday urged the world to act quickly to prevent "extraordinary" climate change from destroying the planet and said wealthy countries must bear responsibility for creating the problem and for solving it.

Finally, the Communists and Catholics make common cause, with the Church calling for the redistribution of property from those who have earned it to those who have not.

As Karl Marx said: "“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need.”

"Destroying the planet" - hmm, George Carlin nailed that many years ago ....

[green job]

Pope Francis on Thursday urged the world to act quickly to prevent "extraordinary" climate change from destroying the planet and said wealthy countries must bear responsibility for creating the problem and for solving it.

Finally, the Communists and Catholics make common cause, with the Church calling for the redistribution of property from those who have earned it to those who have not.

As Karl Marx said: "“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need.”

"Destroying the planet" - hmm, George Carlin nailed that many years ago ....

Well if you lift up a pony tail,you allways find the same thing under it.

[uty6543]

In a radically worded letter addressed to every person on the planet, the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics blames human greed for the critical situation "Our Sister, mother Earth" now finds itself in.

And greed by all the religious organizations. What is the extremely rich catholic church doing to help save this problem. Zip, nothing, nada no that's not fair the Pope has written a letter telling the same things thousands of people have said before.

[JetsetBkk]

In a radically worded letter addressed to every person on the planet, the leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics blames human greed for the critical situation "Our Sister, mother Earth" now finds itself in.

Can I send my letter back?

I wish he'd stick to religion. I can ignore that quite easily.

[NeverSure]

The Pope's BS could destroy the planet. Someone please give him a breath mint. The filthy rich at the Vatican who got there by brainwashing uneducated peasants in villages in Mexico, S. America, The Phils, Rome, Italy etc. have no room to talk about morality. Every small village in those countries has a Catholic church that's far nicer than the hovels of the poor peasants who built it and paid for it.

The Pope lives high on the hog off the monetary sacrifices of poor villagers around the world and then talks about morals.

[NeverSure]

I've been trying to think of just one predominately Catholic country where the people aren't poorer than leading western countries and I can't.

The Catholic church wants to keeps its minions poor and uneducated so they can be controlled. The Catholic Church is the extreme example of income inequality and perversion.

Poor people don't care about the environment. That's seen in third world countries. They care about survival. If the Catholic church wants to help people it could start by educating and lifting its own people.

Don't hold your breath waiting for the Vatican to donate half of its money toward environmental concerns. It's all talk.

[canuckamuck]

Comrade Francis has realized his audience is primarily the disenfranchised poor. Time for a revolution I guess. He is a little late to add his voice to the constantly discredited global crisis. The warming quit in the 90's and even that was not only normal temperature fluctuation, but it was also beneficial to the human condition.

Seems to me the only reason for joining the socialists is because he is on board with the global redistribution of wealth. Must have found a seat at the table.

[oneday]

Don't worry Pope.

God won't let the whole world die, otherwise, what's the point in believing in God. All those prayers and offerings all for nothing then, I guess.

Are you actually saying humans should take control of their own lives and stop relying on a higher power? Wow! So sacrilegious of you pope.

[Usernames]

"There are too many special interests, and economic interests easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected," he writes.

"We know how unsustainable is the behaviour of those who constantly consume and destroy, while others are not yet able to live in a way worthy of their human dignity," he adds, saying the time has come for parts of the world to accept decreased growth.

"Human activity" is the primary cause? Accept "decreased growth?" And the problem is those who "manipulate" or "ignore the scientific evidence?" How about we realize that "human activity" is because the world's population has grown from 2.7 billion to 7.3 billion people just in my lifetime, with a disproportionate share coming from Roman Catholic dominated countries that endorse the Pope's position on birth control??? How about "decreased growth" in those populations, Pope? Speaking of someone who "manipulates" and "ignores the scientific evidence" begins right in the Vatican. This man is a smug, self-righteous little hypocrite.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Usernames

[thaimlord]

So now the leader of one of the biggest money machines in the world, is going to lecture us on greed.

TL

[rethaier]

The pope should stick to promoting the church's fairy tales. That's something he knows well.

[MockingJay]

Humans are destroying the planet, not the constant up and down sequence of temperature which has been there since earth exists. I am so sick and tired of this "global warming" and the new rubber phrase "climate change" BS that I just wanna puke!

[Thaddeus]

Do as I say, don't do as I do.

The pinnacle of hypocrisy.

[MaxYakov]

Senility has set in. I recommend he be replaced by Al Gore.

[BuaBS]

In a radically worded letter addressed to every person on the planet, the leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics blames human greed for the critical situation "Our Sister, mother Earth" now finds itself in.

Can I send my letter back?

I wish he'd stick to religion. I can ignore that quite easily.

Hey , I didn't get the letter , lost in the mail...or because I'm anti religion ?

[funcat]

I've been trying to think of just one predominately Catholic country where the people aren't poorer than leading western countries and I can't.

The Catholic church wants to keeps its minions poor and uneducated so they can be controlled. The Catholic Church is the extreme example of income inequality and perversion.

Poor people don't care about the environment. That's seen in third world countries. They care about survival. If the Catholic church wants to help people it could start by educating and lifting its own people.

Don't hold your breath waiting for the Vatican to donate half of its money toward environmental concerns. It's all talk.

Lot's of hate going on these days....but think, if you just substitute "Catholic Church" with the word "Government" (actually ANY government),than you may get it quite correct....I just don't see to many ''Government" leaders talking about it,or educating its own people about importance of living on this planet the safe way and not destroying it ...I don't see Muslims caring about The Earth,or their own people,except for multiplying...what about the Atheists?...seem like them only take care of themselves....Jews?....Buddhists?...well,there is Dalai Lama of course,but he can only help people who want to help themselves first...and many other groups,sects,etc...It takes a little of an open mind to see things how they really are.....

Edited June 19, 2015 by funcat

[brain150]

Environmental destruction and climate change are two very different things !

Yes - humans are destroying the environment on an enormous scale !

No - humans are NOT changing the climate ! [how could we ?]

It is the rich countries who are destroying the environment for economic reasons [greed] , not the poor.

[NeverSure]

Environmental destruction and climate change are two very different things !

Yes - humans are destroying the environment on an enormous scale !

No - humans are NOT changing the climate ! [how could we ?]

It is the rich countries who are destroying the environment for economic reasons [greed] , not the poor.

I'm not sure I buy that. Environmental laws are pretty strict in Canada, The UK, The US, etc. I see massive environmental damage in third world and developing countries, including China. China isn't a rich country. It's people have 1/2 the per capita income that Thais do yet its pollution is massive.

I think it's poor countries which can't deal with environmental concerns... like Thailand. The smokey season. The garbage in the ocean and polluted landfills and...

I really do.

[brain150]

Environmental destruction and climate change are two very different things !

Yes - humans are destroying the environment on an enormous scale !

No - humans are NOT changing the climate ! [how could we ?]

It is the rich countries who are destroying the environment for economic reasons [greed] , not the poor.

I'm not sure I buy that. Environmental laws are pretty strict in Canada, The UK, The US, etc. I see massive environmental damage in third world and developing countries, including China. China isn't a rich country. It's people have 1/2 the per capita income that Thais do yet its pollution is massive.

I think it's poor countries which can't deal with environmental concerns... like Thailand. The smokey season. The garbage in the ocean and polluted landfills and...

I really do.

You don't need to "buy" anything.

Poor countries don't do fracking, nuclear waste, chemical waste, ....

The destruction comes from the wealthy countries [and is done to a big part in poor countries]

[nakhonandy]

Sometimes people need to engage brain before speaking.

Overpopulation is the biggest issue on the planet and what does he preach, no birth control!

Not the only religion to do that but the second biggest.

Of course poor people will struggle with food and water if there are too many for the resources available!

I am yet to be won over on the entire climate change issue.

Things they predicted 25 years ago just haven't happened, so no physical evidence just theory.

Hell the local metereology people can't even predict the next few days, let alone 20 - 50 years in the future.

[arjunadawn]

Environmental destruction and climate change are two very different things !

Yes - humans are destroying the environment on an enormous scale !

No - humans are NOT changing the climate ! [how could we ?]

It is the rich countries who are destroying the environment for economic reasons [greed] , not the poor.

I'm not sure I buy that. Environmental laws are pretty strict in Canada, The UK, The US, etc. I see massive environmental damage in third world and developing countries, including China. China isn't a rich country. It's people have 1/2 the per capita income that Thais do yet its pollution is massive.

I think it's poor countries which can't deal with environmental concerns... like Thailand. The smokey season. The garbage in the ocean and polluted landfills and...

I really do.

Thus the affirmative action like corruption of blood that has people of wealthier countries today being told they must now suffer for perceived sins of raping the remainder of the world's resources while the remainder of the world is asked to do little, because balance is being sought, and they are catching up; undue environmental restrictions would force developing nations to further suffer the abuse of the pillaging west. Some of the observations reached can be agreed to, its just the conclusions that are horsefeathers!

I am so pleased to see so many here confirming the gut reaction I have to this predictable pope displaying his socialist Jesuit creds. Under the banner of "for the children" all manner of horrors have been visited upon the modern world. The planned pogroms are actually visible in the fine print of the "solution" offered by such mouthpieces. It is not enough to motivate charity, now one must part with the sustenance fruits of their labor for others in order to serve their god. It is frighteningly apparent that Petrus Romanus may be a real vision of St. Malachy.

[ABCer]

Wow! So many people here show dislike and disrespect to the Papa of Catholics.

It's fine with me. But I would like to add my own objections to his pleas.

* Pollution and Climatic changes are very different things. First is undeniable. Second not only needs to be proven, but also happened before and will happen again.

However the point I am trying to make is: God created the Earth. And he was pleased with the result. God also created the People. Presumably in His own Image.

Our Greed, our pollution etc. must be a part of a greater Plan! Do not interfere...

* On the other hand being God's Representative on Earth, I think the Carbon Tax introduced in many countries (we called it 'fart tax') should be kept in Vatican. Just in case...

The Pope has missed to mention this in his Encyclical paper.

* In view of uncertainty of the outcome of the above debates the only salvation can be offered to the income of the Eternal our Mother Catholic Church: -

bring in the Indulgences sales back.

[Jdietz]

Just wondering when they will have to apologize again like they did with Galileo. May take a while though.

Religion and science just don't mix.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Jdietz

[RickBradford]

Just wondering when they will have to apologize again like they did with Galileo. May take a while though.

Religion and science just don't mix.

Galileo was officially cleared by Pope John Paul II in 1992 -- a mere 377 years after he was denounced as a heretic.

[Robby nz]

In light of what is going on around the world at this time it would seem more pertinent to proclaim " The world needs to act before religion destroys the planet"

[green job]

Just wondering when they will have to apologize again like they did with Galileo. May take a while though.

Religion and science just don't mix.

Galileo was officially cleared by Pope John Paul II in 1992 -- a mere 377 years after he was denounced as a heretic.

Arrr Yes,about the time they invented Pope On a Rope Sorry!! Soap on a rope,i always get that one wrong

[thaibeachlovers]

The Catholic church has contributed heavily to overpopulation which is the driver of pollution and world destruction.

What a hypocrite!

[funcat]

The Catholic church has contributed heavily to overpopulation which is the driver of pollution and world destruction.

What a hypocrite!

Hmmm...tell it to the Europeans,who are in majority Catholics ....they will all tell you,that you must have your brain examine...the Muslims are having 5-8 children in the family,to 1.5/family of the Europeans...and the rest of the world is hardly catching up...think,before you...drink...