I’ve been asked to do pieces on this in other places, which I’m on, but I’m also teaching from 9 to 5 today, so for us all I can do is to post the section relevant to global warming. This is a crude translation from the Italian, provided to me by a friend. Everything was done in a rush and, of course, the final version might differ. I’ve added a couple of paragraph breaks for readability.
The climate as a common good
23. The climate is a common good of all and for all. It, globally, is a complex system in relation to many conditions essential for human life. Scientific consensus exists that indicates that we are very firm in presence of a worrisome warming of the climate system. In recent decades, that the heating was accompanied by the constant rise in the sea level, and is also hard not to relate it to the increase in extreme weather events, regardless of the fact that we can not attribute a cause scientifically determined at each particular phenomenon. Humanity is called to become aware of the need to change lifestyles, production and consumption, to combat this heating or, at least, the human causes that produce or accentuate.
It is true that there are other factors (such as volcanism, and the variations of the orbit of the Earth, the solar cycle), but numerous scientific studies indicate that most of the global warming of recent decades is due to the large concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and other) issued mainly because of human activity. Their concentrations in the atmosphere prevents the heat of sunlight reflected by the earth being dispersed in space. This is especially enhanced by the development model based on the intensive use of fossil fuels, which is at the center of the world energy system. It has also affected the increase in the practice of land-use change, mainly deforestation for agricultural purposes.
24. In turn, the heating has effects on the carbon cycle. It creates a vicious cycle that exacerbates the situation even more and that will affect on the availability of essential resources such as drinking water, energy and agricultural production of the hottest areas, and will result in the extinction of the planet’s biodiversity. The melting of polar ice and high altitude threat of those escaping at high risk of methane gas, and the decomposition of organic matter frozen could further accentuate the emission of carbon dioxide. In turn, the loss of tropical forests makes things worse, since they help to mitigate climate change.
The pollution produced by carbon dioxide increase the acidity of the oceans and impairs the marine food chain. If the trend current continues, this century could to witness climate change unheard and unprecedented destruction of ecosystems, with serious consequences for all of us. Rising sea levels, for example, can create situations of extreme gravity when we consider that a quarter of the world population lives by the sea or very close to it, and most of the megacities are located in coastal areas.
25. Climate change is a global problem with serious environmental implications, social, economic, and political distribution, area and are one of the main current challenges for humanity. Impacts heavier probably will fall in the coming decades on developing countries. Many poor people living in particularly affected by phenomena related to heating, and their livelihoods depend heavily from nature reserves and by so-called ecosystem services, such as agriculture, fisheries and forestry. They have no other financial resources and other resources that enable them to adapt to climate impacts or deal with catastrophic situations, and have little access to social services and protection.
For example, climate change give rise to migration of animals and plants that can not always adapt themselves, and this in turn affects the productive resources of the poor, and they also see obligation to migrate great uncertainty about the future of their lives and their children. Tragically, the increase of migrants fleeing poverty exacerbated by environmental degradation, which are not recognized as refugees will in international conventions and carry the burden of their lives abandoned without any protection legislation. Unfortunately there is a general indifference to these tragedies, which still occur in different parts of the world. The lack of responses to these dramaturgical me of our brothers and sisters is a sign of the loss of the sense of responsibility for our fellow men that underpin any civilized society.
26. Many of those who hold more resources and economic or political power seem to concentrate mainly in the mask problems and hide the symptoms, just trying to reduce some of the negative impacts of climate change. But many signs indicate that these effects could always be worse if we continue with current patterns of production and consumption. Therefore it has become urgent and compelling policy development in the coming years so that the emission of carbon dioxide and other heavily polluting gas is reduced drastically, for example, by replacing fossil fuels and by developing renewable energy sources.
In the world there is a small level of access to clean and renewable energy. There is still a need to develop appropriate technologies for accumulation. However, in some countries there have been advances that are beginning to be significant, although they are far from reaching a significant proportion. There were also some investments in modality of production and transportation that use less energy and require fewer raw materials, as well as mode of construction or renovation of buildings which do best- no energy efficiency. But these good practices are far from becoming general.
As I’ve said before in a post on my blog “Galileo Redux…”, this is a replay of the Church meddling in science. Although the case against Galileo was better (at the time of the trial) than the case for AGW, it still is not the province of high Church officials to make pronouncements on subjects in which they lack knowledge and discernment. Thank God that this encyclical is not to be an article of faith, doctrine or dogma.
Well, now we know. There’s no doubt about it, the Church really is lead by anti-science pinkos. What a disgrace.
Well, so far the Pope is wrong on sea level rise and extreme weather, even though he tries to weasel out with the “cannot attribute a cause” to each phenomena. Clearly, the intent is to try and scare people into believing that which is NOT scientific. Not very Pope-like. Not very nice, not very honest.
“Extinction of the planet’s biodiversity”. Destruction of ecosystems???? What is this? This individual has stopped talking to God and starting listening to man. Not a good sign for the leader of a church. Of course, he can now leave out hellfire and brimstone and just declare we are creating our own hell and it’s our fault, leaving out any religious overtones. Why even call this Christian religion? It’s clearly not. Man is the major player in this and God doesn’t even rank.
What clean and renewable energy? This policy will kill millions who will not have access to clean water and food because those stupid windmills are not going to run the world. How very, very cruel.
Are we even sure this Pope believes in God? He certainly does not believe in an omnipotent God or he’d know we can’t do any of this nonsense unless God allowed it. He’s gone over to using man and ignoring God. So much for religion and faith. (My most strenous objections to churches pushing the global warming mantra are that it elevates man to Godlike existence and makes us more powerful than God and it generally involves forced “charity” at gunpoint via a government, completely destroying the meaning of the act of charity.)
Bob: Yes, thank goodness it’s not doctrine, but the damage will be done and it will be extensive.
(I would note I am very disappointed with the Catholic Church at this point. They seemed to be holding on to their faith and not getting swallowed up in the world, and then the Pope dives right into the idiocy which is the world and proclaims it good. So sad.)
Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.
See also Is 10:20-23
For centuries the Catholic Church has been a political entity. It’s hierarchical structure is corrupting. The biblical “church” is its people, led locally by spirit-filled individuals called and equipped for that service. It’s explained in the New Testament. Go look it up. Nowhere in the Book “The Church” claims to follow are there instructions for creating a monolithic organization for regulating faith and practice. That’s a human invention by those who benefit from it. So being immersed in politics it naturally will see political answers where it should be seeing supernatural ones. Anyone with eyes to see should not be surprised at this encyclical.
Is the Pope Catholic? Are you sure?
Gary: Not surprised, but disappointed. Guess I hope the Catholics could hold out longer……I do know they have done this in the past and recovered, so who knows?
This is just a collection of every claim made about the climate by the usual suspects over the last few years whether any of them make sense or not. It is another me too statement similar to that of the AMA as recently described by Monckton in WUWT.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/06/13/another-me-too-climate-statement-by-a-non-climate-body/
I like this statement “Rising sea levels, for example, can create situations of extreme gravity when we consider that a quarter of the world population lives by the sea or very close to it, and most of the megacities are located in coastal areas.” I guess the extreme gravity will prevent people from moving when the water laps a few inches up the beach. 😉
Maybe the Pope is unaware of how much land has been historically claimed from the ocean edges. See:
http://gizmodo.com/watch-new-york-city-s-boundaries-expand-over-250-years-496440467
Sea level rise is going to have to get a move on to keep up with this.
One other thing I’m curious about. When holy people are canonized, there is always a “devil’s advocate” to argue against the canonization (elevation to sainthood). Why didn’t this Pope call for a devil’s advocate against AGW? Or if he did, and didn’t heed the arguments, I’m even more concerned about the fate of the Church.
After this, it would be nice if people stopped writing “Why the Pope Isn’t Really a Marxist” pieces. Probably too much to expect.
It is shameful. Shameful indeed Briggs to see you participate in this leak, that is to participate in the dishonesty and lack of integrity of those a draft was entrusted. Could you not wait but a few days to post and criticize the document?
Re sea level rise. No sea level rise according to Dr. Morner.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/5067351/Rise-of-sea-levels-is-the-greatest-lie-ever-told.html
Bob,
The spam filter may have ate my previous attempts at this, but to summarize:
http://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/27717/why-has-devils-advocate-office-been-changed
It appears that the office has been emasculated in order to make it easier to produce saints. Maybe Robert Conquest’s Three Laws of Politics also apply to the Catholic Church.
Three attempts in the spam filter. I know when I’m licked.
As an antidote to this I suggest Professor Bell’s new book, Scared Witless: Prophets and Profits of Climate Doom. The book portrays international government and scientific establishments running amok.
He wrote a previous book, Climate of Corruption: Politics and Power Behind the Global Warming Hoax.
http://scaredwitlessbook.com/
Scotian, thanks for the link–it worked. Given the common assumption that we’re all supposed to be saints (after a suitable stay in Purgatory) and be part of the Church Triumphant, I’m not sure the minimization of required miracles and the narrowing of the Devil’s Advocate function is all that bad. But the point remains, where is the Devil’s Advocate for silly encyclicals?
(PS I’ve seen one comment that it’s possible this leaked version suffers from a bad translation–replacing conditionals by declaratives.)
Nice try:
“It is shameful. Shameful indeed Briggs to see you participate in this leak, that is to participate in the dishonesty and lack of integrity of those a draft was entrusted. Could you not wait but a few days to post and criticize the document?”
Alinsky sez: RULE 4: “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.”
The subject is enslavement in the Marxist dystopia abetted by this hack Marxist pope. The recent missive is entirely consistent with the other crap he’s been spouting since he was first elected. In response, I’m supposed to play nice?
All,
http://voxcantor.blogspot.com/2015/06/sandro-magisters-press-credential.html
http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2015/06/16/why-we-wrote-about-the-encyclical/
Let’s all pretend not to know something we all know, eh?
Hack marxist gay pope. Will His Holiness be changing his lifestyle, reducing his “production and consumption” such as he recommends for his flock? Or will he continue to jet around in his pope plane spewing hydrocarbons like Algore on steroids?
The puffery and posturing of the uber stinking rich ought to be a mortal sin. No heavenly reward for you, Popie.
I muse that the church is simply adopting the values of a competing religion, i.e. Gaia worship as reflected in the tenets of CAGW. To stay hip with the useful idiots of the day the church is absorbing a modicum of watermelon culture. What’s next, the sanctification of Gore?
Jesuits & Marxist the difference, is paper thin: Noah ‘’predicted’’ world flood and built his ark / Al Gore ‘’predicted’’ second flood, and his commissars demand taxpayer’s cash, to buy themselves yachts (the end is nigh, give us your money). #2: the Vatican had invested billions of $$$ in a factory that produced in Italy for export landmines. I.e. when your legs get blown up -> the Pope will blame the world for not feeding you. / Al can donate $30 million and still have left over $10 billions for his stakes and caviar; because he doesn’t donate, before Christmas 2000 orphans in Africa will be dead from starvation (the Pope should canonize him for that and give sainthood to Al.
3: most of catholic priests are Pincos, same as most of the leading Warmist. #4: global warming is popular and fashionable – the Pope is supporting it / when fascism was popular, the Pope was supporting Hitler and Mussolini. #5: in the past: when you don’t pay correctly your 10% tax to the bishop -> St. Peter will send you drought when planting, and hailstorms just before harvest / now if you don’t pay for CO2 billions to the Warmist – will be droughts and brimstones, and you will all drown! #6: the Pope says: if you have two shirts, give one to the neighbor, BUT: not the Pope or Karl Marx say; if you have 16 shirts, should you give one to the neighbor, or: should you take neighbor’s shirt also, so you can have 17 shirts…?
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