On Thursday the 18th, Pope Francisco shared the encyclical ”Laudato Si,” with reflections on climate change and man's critical relationship with life on the planet.
The text, which is available on the official website of the Vatican, invites us to undergo a personal cultural and ethical evolution as an alternative way to stop climate change, and through this, avoid placing at risk the resource base that support peace, sovereignty, democracy and biodiversity as we know it.
The document makes further arguments of a philosophical and theological nature that go beyond the Catholic religion and provide a scientific basis to illustrate the message that we must work at all levels of society, but mainly at the personal and family levels, to integrate more responsible practices for consumption. The Pope also provides solid criticisms of the political and economic powers in developed countries, whom he holds responsible for imposing irrational economic models that have contributed to the situation we are facing today. However, we should recognize that no less responsible are developing countries for adopting these ¨recipes for success¨ indiscriminately.
The encyclical is of fundamental importance, independent of its religious doctrine. The document was created with the desire to bring together two great global forces, faith and reason. Climate change has an important ally in these two forces, which can influence important areas of society in favor of a movement to demand immediate and verifiable commitments to reduce CO2 emissions. It is worth remembering that 17% of the world’s population is Catholic or identifies with the Catholic religion.
When recognizing the problems and causes of climate change. The Pope is clearly committed to universal values that go beyond immediate political and/or economic interests that, unfortunately, we are used to seeing in most of the leaders who represent us.
Pope Francisco reveals himself in this document as a conciliator and independent leader, summoning rational awareness of the problem and appealing to his own faith, as much as ours, so that we are able to understand the relevance of the crisis in which we are immersed as a society, and above all, to have the attitude necessary to change and protect our common home (planet earth).
Using his position of prominence that has grown inside and outside the Catholic world, Pope Francisco collaborates in the task of building a more consistent picture of the risks of global warming, and in this attempt, he is looking at each of us as an ally.
It is proven that happiness is not achieved only by income growth. We know that people who practice solidarity and work, even partially, in activities aimed at the common good are happier. Global warming is an issue of global concern and we should do something about it, not just out of fear, but look at it as an act of solidarity with the earth, which will provide us with an opportunity to feel more satisfied and happy.