ENDEAVOR

If you want to be inspired, take a few moments to appreciate the awesome beauty of God’s creation as manifested by Brother Sun, Sister Moon and the stars, Brother Wind and the air, Sister Water and Brother Fire as St. Francis of Assisi does in his poem, Canticle of the Creatures. Pope Francis seeks to uplift and enlighten the faithful in Laudate Deum (Praise God), an apostolic exhortation that builds on the theme of caring for our common home – planet earth – which was the subject of his encyclical Laudato Si (Praised Be) issued in 2015. He issued this letter last week, Oct. 4, on the feast day of Sr. Francis of Assisi.

This is a time of purposeful introspection on the fragility of life on our planet. Global warming continues unabated, triggering destructive typhoons and floods in climate vulnerable countries like the Philippines. Pope Francis demonstrates keen insight in appraising the meager progress achieved in moderating the harsh impact of climate change:

“We must move beyond the mentality of appearing to be concerned but not having the courage needed to produce substantial changes. We know that at this pace in just a few years we will surpass the maximum recommended limit of 1.5° C and shortly thereafter even reach 3° C, with a high risk of arriving at a critical point. Even if we do not reach this point of no return, it is certain that the consequences would be disastrous and precipitous measures would have to be taken, at enormous cost and with grave and intolerable economic and social effects. Although the measures that we can take now are costly, the cost will be all the more burdensome the longer we wait.”

He notes that the next Conference of Parties concerned with climate change (COP 28) will be held in the United Arab Emirates, “a great exporter of fossil fuels…(that) has made significant investments in renewable energy sources,” yet hosts gas and oil companies that continue to increase production. Still, Pope Francis writes: “To say that there is nothing to hope for would be suicidal, for it would mean exposing all humanity, especially the poorest, to the worst impacts of climate change.”

If there is a will, there is a way. Pope Francis cites “significant results” that have been obtained in terms of protecting the ozone layer. But he laments the extremely slow pace of transitioning to clean energy sources such as wind and solar energy, and the abandonment of fossil fuels — commitments that were made at COP21 in Paris to stem the tide of global warming. According to experts, greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025 at the latest and a decline of 43 percent needs to be achieved by 2030. Both of these targets seem unlikely to be achieved.

Demonstrating his prescience and wisdom as a global leader, Pope Francis’ declaration on what needs to be done is unmistakably clear:

“If there is sincere interest in making COP28 a historic event that honors and ennobles us as human beings, then one can only hope for binding forms of energy transition that meet three conditions: that they be efficient, obligatory and readily monitored. This, in order to achieve the beginning of a new process marked by three requirements: that it be drastic, intense and count on the commitment of all.” That is not what has happened so far, and only a process of this sort can enable international politics to recover its credibility, since only in this concrete manner will it be possible to reduce significantly carbon dioxide levels and to prevent even greater evils over time.”

Mossy Earth, an inter-disciplinary collective composed of environment advocates, has drawn up an action program that responds to Pope Francis’ call. In their website may be found a six-point program to reduce carbon footprint. First: Avoid mass market, throw-away fashion. Second: Reduce meat and dairy consumption. Third: Refuse single-use plastic. Fourth: Reduce and rethink your transportation. Fifth: Switch to green energy. Sixth: Fight climate change through rewilding.

Mossy Earth points out that over 70 million trees are cut each year to produce cheaper fabrics such as rayon, viscose, modal and lyocell. Moreover water pollution results from the use of plastic microfibers, pesticides for cotton crops and toxic coloring dyes. Hence, “the clothing sector generates 10 percent of all global carbon emissions and remains the second biggest industrial polluter, following the oil industry.” It deplores the popularization of fast fashion by mass market retailers who promote inexpensive, throwaway clothing produced by using polyester fiber that consumes approximately 70 million barrels of oil annually.

On the macro-level, the United States’ performance bears watching as it is the second-largest emitter of carbon dioxide with 5.981 billion metric tons in 2020, next only to China whose total emissions exceed the 11 billion mark.  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports a seven percent decrease from 1990 to 2020, or about 0.5 percent annually. If reckoned from 2005, however, the decrease is 20 percent; this is because of a nine percent decline within the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sectorally, electricity generation and transportation account for the largest share of historical emissions, at 31 percent and 26 percent, respectively. Transportation has been the largest sector since 2017. The production of hybrid and electric cars and public transport vehicles presents the best opportunity for achieving significant reductions.

Pope Francis’ latest communication assails what he regards as an “irresponsible misrepresentation” of massive global concern over climate change as something purely ecological, ‘green’, romantic, frequently subject to ridicule by economic interests.” He joins cause with pro-environment advocates, noting that “they are filling a space left empty by society as a whole, which ought to exercise a healthy ‘pressure’, since every family ought to realize that the future of their children is at stake.”