Pope Francis released an Apostolic Exhortation in addition to his encyclical released in 2015. In his opinion, we are not responding adequately and that we are fast approaching a point of breaking point. He cries out against climate change deniers, affirming that the human cause of global warming is no longer in question. He further explains that caring for our common home is an intrinsic expression of Christian faith.
“‘Praise God’ is the caption of this letter. For when human beings substitute themselves in place of God, they become their own worst enemies.”
This is how Pope Francis concludes his new Apostolic Exhortation, published on 4th October, Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
This document continues the message of his 2015 encyclical Laudato si’, though it is broader in scope. In six chapters and 73 paragraphs, the Successor of Peter seeks to clarify and complete his previous text on integral ecology, while also issuing a warning and a call for shared responsibility in response to the climate crisis.
The Exhortation itself anticipates COP28, which takes place in Dubai in late November and early December.
The Holy Father explains: “With the passing of time, I have come to see that our reaction hasn’t been sufficient, while the world we live in is cracking up and could be on the verge of the breaking point. Aside from this likelihood, it is certain that the effects of climate change will more and more bias the lives and families of many individuals”.
He refers to it as “one of the principal challenges facing society and the world community,” emphasizing that “the effects of climate change are experienced by the most vulnerable members, at home or overseas”.
Signs of climate change increasingly evident
Chapter one is dedicated to the global climatic crisis.
“Despite all efforts to deny, hide, downplay, or relativize the problem, the evidence of climate change is present and increasingly evident,” the Pope writes.
He goes on: “In recent decades, we have witnessed extremes of weather, frequent cases of unusual heat, drought, and other cries of protest from the earth”—a “silent illness that afflicts everything.”.
Moreover, Pope Francis states that “it is measurable that some climate changes induced by human beings are already causing some extreme weather events to intensify and become more frequent and intense.”
The Holy Father explains what would occur if global temperatures rise above a two-degree rise: “the icecap of Greenland and a great part of Antarctica would melt entirely, with unimaginably serious effects for all”
Addressing the minimizers of climate change, he responds: “What we’re seeing now is a strange speeding up of warming—at a pace so rapid that it will only take one generation, not centuries or millennia, to become apparent.”
“Probably within a matter of years, many groups will have to move because of these facts”
Extreme cold snaps, he goes on, are also “alternative expressions of the same cause”
Not the fault of the poor
In attempting to keep things simple in reality,” Pope Francis reports, “there are those blaming the poor because they have children, and they even attempt to fix the situation by mutilating women in poorer nations.”.
As always, the poor are blamed for everything. But the fact is that a small, richer fraction of the world pollutes more than the poorest 50% of the world’s population, and the per capita emissions of the richer nations are far greater than those of the poorer ones.
“How can we ignore that the continent of Africa, on which more than half of the world’s poorest residents reside, receives a trivial portion of historical emissions?”
The Pope also scolds critics who suggest that actions taken to prevent global warming by reducing the consumption of fossil fuels “will lead to the loss of jobs.”.
What is actually happening, he emphasizes, is that “millions of people are losing their jobs due to several effects of climate change: sea level rise, droughts, and other processes affecting the planet have left many stranded.”
Meanwhile, “the shift to renewable sources of energy, if managed well,” can “generate hundreds of thousands of jobs in many sectors. This is what politicians and businesspeople need to begin thinking about today”
Indubitable human origins
“Seeking to simplify reality,” Pope Francis goes on, “some dump blame on the poor, claiming that it’s because they have too many children, and even attempt to address the problem by mutilating women in less affluent nations.”
As ever, everything appears to be the fault of the poor. But the reality is that a smaller, wealthier segment of the globe pollutes more than the poorest 50% of the whole world’s population, and the per capita emissions of wealthy countries are much greater than those of poor countries.
“How can we forget that Africa, which has more than half of the world’s poor, gives a minimal share of historic emissions?”
The Pope also addresses those who assert that climate change mitigation through the restriction of the usage of fossil fuels “will bring a reduction in the number of jobs.”
What is actually happening, he indicates, is that “millions of people are losing their employment by the various effects of climate change: rising sea levels, droughts, and other events affecting the planet have left many people stranded.”.
In the meantime, “the transition to renewable energy sources, if properly managed,” can “create millions of jobs in a variety of different industries. This must be prioritized by political and business leaders today”
Indubitable human origins
“It is no longer possible to doubt the human—’anthropic’—cause of climate change,” says the Pope.
“The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere… had remained stable until the nineteenth century… Over the last half century, this growth has become very rapid”
Simultaneously, worldwide temperatures “have risen at a record rate, more quickly than at any other time in the past two millennia. During this period, the trend has shown warming by 0.15°C per decade—double that of the previous 150 years… At this rate, possibly within ten years, we will reach the forecasted maximum global level of 1.5°C”
This has led to ocean acidification and ice cap melting.
“It is impossible to hide” the connection between these events and the increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Sad to say, the Holy Father decries with dismay, “the climate crisis is not exactly a matter that interests the major economic powers, whose priority is achieving the highest possible profit at minimal cost and in the shortest time”
Barely in time to avoid more terrible damage
I feel compelled,” Pope Francis continues, “to set down these clarifications, which may appear obvious, due to some dismissive and unreasonable attitudes I encounter—even within the Catholic Church.”
Nevertheless, “we can no longer doubt that the origin of the uniquely rapid and deadly changes we are undergoing is an undeniable fact: the immense and unplanned impact of human activity on nature in the past two centuries”
Unfortunately, some of the effects of this climatic emergency are already irreversible for a few centuries. “The melting of the poles, for example, cannot be reversed for centuries”
We are, therefore, just barely in time to prevent even more catastrophic damage. The Pope admits that “certain apocalyptic warnings may seem exaggerated or poorly grounded,” but reminds us that “we cannot say with certainty what the future holds”
Therefore, “a broader vision is urgently needed… What is being asked of us is no more than a sense of responsibility for the world we will leave behind when we depart this life”
Reflecting on the Covid-19 pandemic experience, Pope Francis emphasized once more that “everything is connected, and no one is saved alone”
The technocratic paradigm: the idea of a human being without limits
In Chapter Two, the Pope discusses the technocratic paradigm, based on the belief that “reality, goodness, and truth automatically flow from technological and economic power as such” and which “monstrously feeds upon itself”, drawing inspiration from the concept of a boundless human being.
“Never has man had such power over man,” the Holy Father goes on, “yet nothing is less sure than that it will be wisely used—particularly if one considers the way it is being used now… It is very dangerous for so much power to be wielded by a small group of men”
Regrettably — as the creation of the atomic bomb has shown — “our vast technological progress has not been accompanied by a similar increase in human responsibility, values, and conscience”
The Pope reaffirms that “the world around us is not an object for exploitation, unrestrained use, or limitless ambition” He reminds us that we, too, are part of nature, and that this reality “excludes the notion that human beings are outsiders—foreign elements capable only of harming the environment. Human beings must be recognized as part of nature” in fact, “human communities have often ‘created’ an environment”
The ethical decadence of power: marketing and fake news
We have achieved “dazzling and mind-boggling technological gains, but we have forgotten that, in doing so, we have made ourselves very dangerous animals, whose survival can imperil the survival of many other creatures—and even our own”
“The corrupting of genuine power morally is veiled in advertising and misinformation—machinery well used by more affluent with power to shape public opinion.”
In such a way, people living in areas targeted for dirty projects are misled—led to believe that such projects will bring economic and employment benefits. But “they are not clearly informed that the project will result in. a desolate and less habitable landscape”, as well as a considerable decrease in their level of living.
“Maximal profit for minimum expenditure in mind—disguising itself under the pretense of reasonableness, advancement, and spurious promise—prevents any sincere concern for our common home and sincere commitment to serve the poor and outcasts, the rejected by our world… Flustered and deluded by the visions of so many pseudo-prophets, even the poor are at times entrapped in the vision of a world not being built for them”.
There is thus “a rule by those born with more privilege and advantage”. Pope Francis challenges them to reflect on the past and ask themselves—”with an eye to the children who will suffer the consequences of their actions”—what is really the purpose of their lives.
Weak international politics
In the next chapter of the Exhortation, the Pope denounces international politics’ failures through the insistence that there should be promoted “multilateral agreements between States”.
He explains that “if we talk about the possibility of some kind of world authority governed by law, we need not so much dream of a personal authority,” but rather “more powerful global institutions endowed with authority to promote the global common good, end hunger and poverty, and offer assurances for the protection of basic human rights.”
Such agencies, he argues, “need to be imbued with real authority, capable of attaining fundamental objectives”
Pope Francis laments that “global crises are being squandered when they could serve as opportunities to bring about meaningful change. This is what happened during the 2007–2008 financial crisis and again during the Covid-19 pandemic,” which instead saw “greater individualism, reduced integration, and increased freedom for the truly powerful—who always seem to find ways to emerge unscathed”.
“Rather than attempt to salvage the old model of multilateralism, the real challenge now is to restructure and recreate it in line with the current world scenario”. The Pope acknowledges that many civil society groups and institutions play an essential role in completing the gaps of the international community. He uses the example of the Ottawa Process on landmines, remembering how the civil society has attained effective dynamics that the larger forums like the UN have been unable to.
Useless institutions that preserve the strongest
What Pope Francis proposes is a “multilateralism ‘from below,’ not one simply dictated by the elites of power. … It is to be hoped that this will occur in response to the climate crisis. For this reason, I reiterate that unless citizens control political power—national, regional, and municipal—it will not be possible to prevent environmental damage”
After reaffirming the primacy of the human person, Pope Francis explains—speaking about the defense of human dignity in all circumstances—that “this is not about replacing politics, but about recognizing that emerging grassroots forces are becoming increasingly significant.”
“The very fact,” he continues, “that solutions to problems can emerge from any country, no matter how small, underscores multilateralism as an inevitable process”
Therefore, “a new framework for effective cooperation is needed. It is not enough to focus solely on balances of power; we must also respond to new problems and react with global mechanisms.” It is about “establishing global and effective rules”
“All of this presupposes the development of a new process for decision-making,” the Pope states. What is needed are “spaces for dialogue, consultation, arbitration, conflict resolution, and oversight. Ultimately, we must move toward a kind of increased ‘democratization’ at the global level, so that various realities and concerns can be voiced and included. It is no longer acceptable to support institutions that preserve the rights of the powerful while neglecting those of all others”
Climate conferences
In the next chapter, Pope Francis ponders the different climate conferences that have been conducted so far.
He recalls the Paris Conference, whose resulting agreement came into effect in November 2016. Though considered a binding agreement, “not all its provisions are obligations in the strict sense, and some leave ample room for discretion”. Besides, there are no sanctions for non-compliance with these obligations, and the agreement lacks good mechanisms to ensure compliance.
Furthermore, “work is still under way to consolidate concrete procedures for monitoring and to establish general criteria for comparing the objectives of different countries”.
The Pope explains his disappointment with the Madrid COP and indicates that the Glasgow COP put the hopes of the Paris Agreement back on the table, generating many “recommendations.” Nevertheless, “proposals which attempted to bring about a rapid and effective transition to alternative and cleaner sources of energy made no progress”.
COP27, held in Egypt in 2022, was another example of the challenges for negotiations. Although it was a positive step by establishing a framework for financing “loss and damage” in the most climate disaster-vulnerable countries, the framework remained “imprecise” on most essential details.
Pope Francis makes the conclusion that international negotiations “cannot make significant progress due to positions taken by states that place national interests above the common good of the world. The ones who will suffer the consequences of what we are trying to turn a blind eye to will not forget this failure in conscience and responsibility”.
What to expect from the Dubai COP?
Anticipating the next COP, Pope Francis says, “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”
The Pope emphasizes that we must “continue to hope that COP28 will make possible a decisive acceleration of the energy transition, with effective commitments subject to ongoing monitoring. This Conference could be a turning point”
He maintains that “the shift to clean sources of energy, such as wind and sunlight, and from fossil fuels, is not taking place at the required rate. As a result, existing efforts are at risk of being viewed as nothing but distractions”
Pope Francis warns that we must not only employ technological means to solve our problems: “we risk remaining trapped in the mindset of patching over cracks, while beneath the surface, a deeper deterioration continues—one that we ourselves keep contributing to”
No Ridiculing Environmental Concerns Anymore
Pope Francis urges “ending the reckless mockery that devalues this issue as being mere ecological, ‘green,’ romantic—often sneered at by economic interests.”
“We are finally going to have to learn that this is a deeply human and social task, one involving innumerable aspects of existence. For that reason, it calls for everyone’s cooperation.”.
Answering to protests by the people typically “portrayed negatively as radicalized,” the Pope says that “in fact, they are filling a gap left by society at large—society which ought to be applying healthy pressure, because each family must see that their children’s future is hanging in the balance”
Let those who will be at the Conference be politicians who place greater value on the common good and the future of their children than on the temporary benefits of single nations or corporations. In doing this, let them reveal the nobility of politics rather than its shame. To those in power, I must repeat, at this turning point, only this question: What would lead one, in this critical moment, to cling to power—only to be remembered as a failure when action at crucial and pressing moments was required?”
A Commitment That Flows from the Christian Faith
Pope Francis concludes by remembering that the source of this commitment is found in the Christian faith. He also calls “my brothers and sisters of other religions to do the same”
“The Judaeo-Christian understanding of the universe maintains the unique and central significance of the human person amidst the marvelous harmony of all God’s creatures.” While, on the other hand, “being part of the universe, we are all tied together by unseen bonds and are a kind of universal family—a grand communion that fills us with sacred, tender, and humble respect”
“This connection is not one we make; it has its source in the innermost depths of our being, since God has joined us with the world as a family”
It is clear from Pope Francis that “durable change is impossible without cultural transformation, and cultural transformation cannot be achieved without personal transformation—without a change of lifestyles and deeply held values within society”
He notes that family efforts to curb pollution and waste, and to consume more responsibly, are working to establish a new culture. “That personal, familial, and communal habits are changing is already leading to profound transformations rising up from deep within society”
The Holy Father concludes by observing that “per capita emissions in the United States are approximately double those of individuals in China, and about seven times higher than the average in the poorest countries.”
He believes that “a general shift away from the Western model’s irresponsible way of living would, in the long term, make an enormous difference. Coupled with the political decisions that are required, such a shift would enable us to move forward along the pathway of responsible caring for one another”
