- 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.
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Continue reading! Hear what Pope tells Buhari, other world leadersCreated at 2016-02-10
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