BY FR. SHAY CULLEN
POPE Francis made it clear when he said a “broad change in the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model” must happen to stop the climate changing so dramatically. That lifestyle and economic activity burning fossil fuels non-stop is causing the planet to over-heat and if it reaches 1.5 degrees hotter it may be a tipping point of no return and the cycle of warming will continue irreversibly. The climate destruction is already causing a catastrophic impact on agriculture, food production, health and water and much more.
We need faith and hope to win this struggle and “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,” Pope Francis said.
Unless the world and the biggest emitters of CO2, the US and China, and others like the Philippines stop burning fossil fuel in power plants and vehicles and build more renewables and change to electric cars, we face continual intensive climate disasters: excessive temperatures, (2023 was the hottest ever), drought, crop failure, floods, forest fires, typhoons of greater intensity, glaciers melting, rise in ocean levels, less fish, food crises, diseases, and wars over water and productive land and many deaths from heat waves.
The fossil fuel cartels have to accept that the oil game is over. They and others have staunchly defended fossil fuels- the source of their wealth, power and prestige- and they still do with greater determination than ever.
At COP28, they changed “phase out” fossil fuels to “transition from.” The phase out that is coming is an economic death sentence for them but destructive climate change by fossil fuel burning is a physical death sentence for the poor people of the world. They will continue to promote fossil fuels to earn all they can, like the UK that recently started oil drilling again.
Pope Francis has called for a life of dignity, to choose life not death: “ the destruction of the environment is an offense against God, a sin that is not only personal but also structural, one that greatly endangers all human beings, especially the most vulnerable in our midst and threatens to unleash a conflict between generations.” Climate change, he said, is “a global social issue and one intimately related to the dignity of human life.”
The only answer is more alternative renewable sources of energy, solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, bio, wave etc. They will replace fossil fuels. The Philippines and other countries must give more tax breaks to renewable energy projects, more solar plants and wind farms and to high quality low-cost electric cars, less trucks and buses and more trains. At present, electric vehicles are super expensive and just for show. Needed is a law mandating the installation of fast-recharging facilities and home charging units. The oil and auto industry is opposed and will try to block such laws.
The source of energy is free. We just have to capture it and give the nation a clean, low-cost energy supply and save lives and homes of the poor. Society must change and get out of fossil fuels quickly or as Pope Francis says, we have to “choose life over death.” (preda.org)/PN
