Pope Francis’ encyclical on climate change has stirred the global warming debate hugely, giving environmentalists a shot in the arm. His linking climate change to economics and morality resonates widely. The call for a cultural revolution to stop the rich from further impoverishing the poorest may just dent the conscience of rich nations which have most polluted the Earth, and which talk loudly now of the need to clean up the planet without having the will to dip into their pockets to pay for the damage they have caused.
Climate sceptics may scoff at “greens”, dubbing studies on warming as pseudo-science. But they have few ready answers to facts like the past month having been the hottest May in 136 years, or the fact that in the same month the fifth deadliest heatwave ever claimed 2,200 lives in India. Nor can they explain why extreme weather events in the past 30 years may have killed around 2.5 million people and caused $4 trillion in damage.
The pontiff’s call for change with an economic and moral imperative strikes at the root of the problem. Shirking our moral obligation to protect future generations from climate chaos is one of the greatest threats the planet faces. In the United States, reactionary voices have been quick to criticise the Pope’s message as “anti-progress”, hitting out at him for delving into science and politics. But unless the world changes its throwaway consumer culture, the planet will be denuded further of its resources, leaving us all the poorer.
