It is not possible to conceal the correlation of these global climate phenomena and the accelerated increase in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly since the mid-twentieth century. The overwhelming majority of scientists specializing in the climate support this correlation, and only a very small percentage of them seek to deny the evidence (#13).He also speaks of the need to reduce carbon dioxide levels. (#59) This is interesting to me because, for the first part of 2023, I was immersed in the world of "carbon removal." We were working on a short documentary called, “Answering the Cry of the Earth” where we feature carbon removal (not to be confused with "carbon capture" which is a completely different process) initiatives as an essential focus of climate solutions. We saw these carbon removal projects as ideal examples of what Pope Francis calls “integral ecology” in Laudato Si’.
The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which causes global warming, was stable until the nineteenth century, below 300 parts per million in volume. But in the middle of that century, in conjunction with industrial development, emissions began to increase. In the past fifty years, this increase has accelerated significantly, as the Mauna Loa observatory, which has taken daily measurements of carbon dioxide since 1958, has confirmed. While I was writing Laudato Si’, they hit a historic high – 400 parts per million – until arriving at 423 parts per million in June 2023. More than 42% of total net emissions since the year 1850 were produced after 1990 (#11).He continues:
At the same time, we have confirmed that in the last fifty years the temperature has risen at an unprecedented speed, greater than any time over the past two thousand years. In this period, the trend was a warming of 0.15° C per decade, double that of the last 150 years. From 1850 on, the global temperature has risen by 1.1° C, with even greater impact on the polar regions. At this rate, it is possible that in just ten years we will reach the recommended maximum global ceiling of 1.5° C (#12).It is estimated that, over the last 50 years, some 500 billion tons of carbon have been emitted into the atmosphere. In order to get back down to the 300 parts per million that Pope Francis refers to, not only do we have to reduce our emissions significantly, but, as we learned at the Stanford University Conference, we have to remove carbon from the atmosphere – some 5-10 billion tons each year by the year 2050. The good news is that it is possible. God has created a world that, when it functions that way it was designed to function, according to its nature, works perfectly. Sometimes, we human beings push things to the limit – I believe this is part of our “be fruitful and multiply” nature. No one knew 50 years ago that carbon emissions were going to cause global warming, changes to the climate and the acidification of the oceans. But we know now and here we are. And we know that it is our human behaviour that has greatly contributed to this. We also know that God has already given us the solutions. We just have to look at the nature of our ecology, listen to the grammar of creation that Pope Benedict wrote of (Caritas in Veritate #48) and discover where and how in nature carbon can be captured and/or stored permanently. This is something that trees do – they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. However, in order to remove 5 billion tons of carbon every year, we would have to plant more trees than our planet has space for. But trees are not the only way that nature absorbs carbon. In Answering the Cry of the Earth, you will learn of the work of Vesta and Heirloom, two companies that are using the natural minerals olivine and limestone to do what they normally do in nature: absorb carbon – and they are doing it successfully. The documentary also addresses the need to mobilize around environmental action, showing that economic and environmental success go hand-in-hand and that everyone, no matter their ideology has a seat at the table of ongoing dialogue concerning everything that is climate-related and motivate everyone in their efforts to care for our common home. Pope Francis wrote in Laudato Si’ that “The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change” (LS #13). We know that things can change. And we all have a part to play. We may not be able to personally remove carbon from the atmosphere, but we can reduce how much carbon we put in the atmosphere. Whether we decide to drive an electric vehicle, carpool, take the bus, walk or ride a bicycle, or whether we compost more and create less waste, whatever we do will make a difference. We can eat local, and make better energy choices when possible. We can also support and not shame those who are not able to make changes as easily as we can where we live. Finally. we can also have a greater awareness about how our choices affect those in the global south, those more likely to be affected by the climate emergency. Pope Francis reminds us that caring for our common home is a moral responsibility. We all have a part to play. He also reminds us that our response is motivated by our faith. We care for our common home because we are Christians. The time is now. Our earth is burning and it's time to pay our fair share. But most importantly, we must praise God, for when we don’t, we become our worst enemies.
Watch Answering the Cry of the Earth on Salt + Light TV on Sunday, October 15 at 8:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm PT.
En ce mois de mars, le pape François nous invite à prier pour les familles en crise : Prions pour que les familles divisées puissent trouver dans le pardon la guérison de leurs blessures, en redécouvrant la richesse de l’autre, même au cœur des différences.
Dans les récits de l’enfance de Jésus, l’évangéliste Luc nous montre l’obéissance de Marie et de Joseph à la Loi du Seigneur et à toutes ses prescriptions.
avec le signe pénitentiel des cendres sur la tête, nous commençons le pèlerinage annuel du Saint Carême dans la foi et dans l’espérance. L’Église, mère et maîtresse, nous invite à préparer nos cœurs et à nous ouvrir à la grâce de Dieu pour que nous puissions célébrer dans la joie le triomphe pascal du Christ-Seigneur, sur le péché et sur la mort. Saint Paul le proclame : « La mort a été engloutie dans la victoire.
Le pape François a poursuivi son cycle de catéchèse sur « Jésus-Christ notre espérance », dans le cadre du Jubilé 2025. Cette semaine, il a réfléchi à la visite des Mages à l'enfant Jésus, écrivant que les Mages « sont des hommes qui ne restent pas immobiles mais qui, comme les grands élus de l'histoire biblique, ressentent le besoin de bouger, d'aller de l'avant. Ce sont des hommes capables de regarder au-delà d'eux-mêmes, qui savent regarder vers le haut ».
Lors de l'audience générale de mercredi, le pape François a poursuivi ce cycle de catéchèse sur « Jésus-Christ notre espérance », dans le cadre du Jubilé 2025. Cette semaine, il a réfléchi à la naissance du Christ et à la visite des bergers, affirmant que « Dieu, qui entre dans l'histoire, ne démonte pas les structures du monde, mais veut les éclairer et les recréer de l'intérieur ».