Pope Francis calls for an ‘end’ to ‘the era of fossil fuel’

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Pope Francis calls for an ‘end’ to ‘the era of fossil fuel’ in Prayer for Creation message
‘It is absurd to permit the continued exploration and expansion of fossil fuel infrastructures,’ the Pope said.



Brazilian woman Rodrigo Baima greets the Pope during May 24 general audience.
Screenshot/Vatican News

May 25, 2023
VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews - slightly adapted) –– Pope Francis has called for world leaders to implement an “end” to the “era of fossil fuel,” in his message released for the ecumenical Season of Creation taking place later this year.

“Let us heed our call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to the senseless war against creation,” Pope Francis said in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Creation, released in a press conference today. The day of prayer for creation occurs on September 1, and marks the start of the month-long “ecumenical Season of Creation” which is now annually marked by the Vatican.

Delivering his message, Francis spoke about synodality and his ecological concerns, combined under the theme of “Let Justice and Peace Flow.”

“Consumerist greed, fueled by selfish hearts, is disrupting the planet’s water cycle, he stated. “The unrestrained burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests are pushing temperatures higher and leading to massive droughts.”

The 86-year-old Pontiff referenced “alarming water shortages” which affect communities both large and small, along with “freshwater” facing similar shortages due to “fracking for oil and gas extraction, unchecked mega-mining projects, and intensive animal farming.” Such statements, appearing to blame animal farming for “climate change” effects, echoes the rhetoric currently emerging from European politicians, seeking to implement crushing restrictions on Dutch farmers.

Francis highlighted the goals of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, urging people to “prevent the worst from happening.”

He later echoed such support for global policies on “climate change” by issuing a call to action for the upcoming COP28 climate summit in Dubai later this year. The Pontiff called on the assembled leaders to “end the era of fossil fuel,” while also citing the pro-abortion Paris Climate Agreement.

The world leaders who will gather for the COP28 summit in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December next must listen to science and institute a rapid and equitable transition to end the era of fossil fuel.

According to the commitments undertaken in the Paris Agreement to restrain global warming, it is absurd to permit the continued exploration and expansion of fossil fuel infrastructures. Let us raise our voices to halt this injustice towards the poor and towards our children, who will bear the worst effects of climate change.

As on previous occasions, Pope Francis spoke about the need for “ecological conversion” away from “ecological sins,” which would be a transformation of “hearts” and “lifestyles.”

These sins harm the world of nature and our fellow men and women. With the help of God’s grace, let us adopt lifestyles marked by less waste and unnecessary consumption, especially where the processes of production are toxic and unsustainable.

Francis additionally drew a comparison between his ecological comments and the “Catholic Church’s commitment to synodality.” As noted by Francis, the Season of Creation will coincide with the beginning of the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican in early October.

“Like rivers in nature, fed by myriad tiny brooks and larger streams and rivulets, the synodal process that began in October 2021 invites all those who take part on a personal or community level, to coalesce in a majestic river of reflection and renewal,” he said. “The entire People of God is being invited to an immersive journey of synodal dialogue and conversion.”

In the same way that a river is a source of life for its surroundings, our synodal Church must be a source of life for our common home and all its inhabitants. In the same way that a river gives life to all kinds of animal and plant life, a synodal Church must give life by sowing justice and peace in every place it reaches.

Presenting the Pope’s message in the press conference, Cardinal Michael Czerny S.J. – the prefect of the recently formed Dicastery for Integral Human Development – outlined practical ways for Catholics to enact the Pope’s call for “ecological conversion.” These included:

• community screenings of the environmental film The Letter.
  
• the Laudato Si’ Action Platform facilitating coordination and implementation.
  
• grassroots action in networks such as Caritas and the Laudato Si’ Movement.
  

The Laudato Si’ Movement aims to “turn Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato Si into action for climate and ecological justice,” and promote a mass divestment from “fossil fuels” as inspired by the Pontiff’s environmental writings. They are currently joining with Czerny’s Dicastery to celebrate the eighth anniversary of Laudato Si‘s publication in 2015.

Czerny was joined by Anglican minister Rachel Mash, who praised the Pope’s words and argued that “for too long the faith communities have stood by and watched the destruction of Creation and ignored the cries of our neighbors impacted by climate change.”

Mash added how “an ecumenical team” was establishing the upcoming month-long ecological Season of Creation’s “celebration guide.”

Pro-life and family advocates have continually expressed concern over the climate activism movement, as it is often aligned with pro-abortion and population control advocates and lobby groups. Others say much of climate activism is about garnering government grants and exerting statist power.

As noted by the Laudato Si Movement, Pope Francis has been a consistently vocal advocate for the environmental policies of the Paris Agreement, which is at its core pro-abortion and connects to the stated U.N. goal of creating a universal right to abortion in line with Goal #5.6 of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals. That goal reads: “Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights,” which is phraseology commonly used to mean abortion and contraception.

The Vatican officially joined the Paris Agreement only last year, with Francis having previously urged global leaders at climate COP conferences to pursue the “ambitious goals” outlined in the Paris Agreement on climate change, saying they “can no longer be deferred.”