MISSOURI CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
MESSENGER
The bishops of Missouri, speaking together on matters of public policy, form the Missouri Catholic Conference.
CLIMATE CHANGE
AND THE POOR:
A PLEA FOR ACTION
AND AROUND
by Dan Misleh, Executive Director, Catholic Coalition on Climate Change
I was fortunate to be invited by the Missouri
Catholic Conference to their Annual
Assembly on Sept. 29, 2007 and share
some thoughts about climate change and
the Catholic Churchs particular approach
to this emerging moral and spiritual
concern.
Having worked at the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops for eleven years, I gained
a profound respect for the beauty and clarity
of our Churchs social teachings. This body
of teaching begins with the Gospel and
helps us read the signs of the times through
the eyes of faith. It provides a set of
principles and a framework upon which the
thorny moral issues of our day can be
examined. Beginning with the life and
dignity of each human person and including
the care of Gods creation, these principles
may not offer specific remedies to specific
problems, but they help point the way.
My understanding of this framework has
enabled me to find a way to put my passion
for social justice into practice within a
Church that I love. The beauty of this
teaching is that it is always a both/and
approach. We need to protect human life
and promote human dignity. We have rights
as human beings but also responsibilities
to secure those rights for others. We insist
that each person has a right to work and a
meaningful wage and the employer has a
right to expect a fair days work.
Many of you live the Gospel and these
teachings in everyday ways or extraordinary
ways. I am humbled by those who devote
countless hours to saving the lives of the
unborn or ensuring that we not destroy life
in laboratories. Others feed the hungry or
counsel the lost or witness their faith in
countless ways through family life and in
the workplace.
As for me, I have found a calling to assist
the Church in her message on caring for
creation. I dont for a minute think that this
ought to be everyones calling or that all the
other good work we do as a Catholic
November 2007
IN MISSOURI
THE WORLD
community should be dropped in favor of
dealing with climate change and the
environment, but it will become an
increasingly important part of our witness
and action as a community of faith.
In this article, I will examine Catholic
teaching and climate change, offer a brief
explanation of the science of climate
change, look at possible impacts of a
warming planet, especially the impacts on
poor people, and offer some practical and
public policy prescriptions for dealing with
climate change and its impacts.
CHURCH TEACHING AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
In 2001, the U.S. Catholic bishops issued a
statement on climate change, Global
Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue,
Prudence and the Common Good. They
emphasized three basic principles including
prudence and the common good, but also
poverty: the poor, who have contributed the
least to climate change, will likely suffer its
worst consequences:
We especially want to focus on the needs
of the poor, the weak, and the vulnerable in
a debate often dominated by more powerful
interests. Inaction and inadequate or
misguided responses to climate change will
likely place even greater burdens on already
desperately poor peoples. Action to mitigate
global climate change must be built upon a
foundation of social and economic justice
that does not put the poor at greater risk or
place disproportionate and unfair burdens
on developing nations.
The bishops are expanding on Church
teaching that is as old as Genesis and as
new as Pope John Paul IIs 1990 World Day
of Peace message, The Ecological Crisis:
A Common Responsibility. While not
focused specifically on climate change but
on the broader theme of care of Creation,
the late Holy Father began the message in
dramatic fashion:
In our day, there is a growing
awareness that world peace is [also]
threatenedby a lack of due respect
for nature, by the plundering of
natural resources and by a
progressive decline in the quality of
lifeFaced with the widespread
destruction of the environment,
people everywhere are coming to
understand that we cannot continue
to use the goods of the earth as we
have in the pasta new ecological
awareness is beginning to emerge
which, rather than being downplayed,
ought to be encouraged to develop
into concrete programs and
initiatives.
Before a recent round of talks I was
giving to national Catholic
organizations, I was talking with a
friend of mine whos not exactly sure
about the urgency of addressing
climate change and he said,
somewhat sarcastically, So are you
representing Al Gore? No, I
replied, I hope Im representing the
Pope. That came as a bit of a shock.
When asked what I meant I said that
Pope Benedict XVI has become
increasingly vocal about the climate
change issue. In July of this year he
said this:
Today, we all see that man can
destroy the foundations of his
existence, his earth, hence, that we
can no longer simply do what we like
or what seems useful and promising
at the time with this earth of ours, with
the reality entrusted to us. On the
contrary, we must respect
the inner laws of creation,
of this earth; we must
learn these laws and obey
these laws if we wish to
survive.
Consequently, this
obedience to the voice of
the earth, of being, is more
important for our future
happiness than the voices
of the moment, the desires
of the moment. In short,
this is a first criterion to
learn: that being itself, our
earth, speaks to us and we
must listen if we want to
survive and to decipher
this message of the earth.
And if we must be
obedient to the voice of the
earth, this is even truer for
the voice of human life.
Not only must we care for
the earth, we must respect
the other, others: both the
other as an individual
The remains of St. Clare Catholic Church in Waveland, Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.
person, as my neighbor,
More than two years after its destruction, Catholics continue to hold Mass in a tent. Bishop
and others as
Thomas J. Rodi of the Diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi during his keynote speech at the
communities who live in
MCCs Annual Assembly, thanked Missouri Catholics for their generous support as the
the world and have to live
diocese continues recovery efforts.
together.
We share one world and nothing
illustrates that clearer than our
atmosphere. The air we breathe and
the air we pollute circulates around
the globe indiscriminately. The
accumulation of greenhouse gases
that is now blanketing the earth is
impacting our temperature as well as
wildlife and human life and dignity.
The Holy Father expressed urgency
in addressing the crisis last month.
Speaking to thousands of young
people in Italy, he said:
One of the areas in which work
appears to be urgent is without a doubt
that of protecting creation...To the new
generations the future of the planet is
entrusted, in which there are evident
signs of a development that has not
always known how to safeguard the
delicate equilibriums of nature.
Before it is too late, it is necessary to
make courageous decisions that
reflect knowing how to re-create a
strong alliance between man and the
earth...A decisive yes to the
protection of creation is necessary
and a firm commitment to reverse
those tendencies that run the risk of
bringing about situations of
unstoppable degradation.
Climate change currently impacts
many, including the poorest people
in our country and beyond. In June,
the bishops of Alaska held an all day
hearing on climate change in Alaska.
They heard from many different
perspectives: oil companies drilling in
the Arctic, advocates for alternative
energy sources, the tourism and
fishing industries, among others.
Each had a particular message on
how climate change is impacting their
industry or service. But a
representative from Newtok, a small
Alaskan village near the Bering Sea,
truly captured the attention of the
audience. He described how each
year the river delta is inundated by
rising sea level. Now the entire
village is at risk of floodingthey
already have had water lapping up
against their doorways. The entire
village must now move to higher
ground.
Climate change will impact all of us
into the foreseeable future. Scientists
agree that climate change will create
large-scale weather events like more
intense floods, longer droughts and
heat waves. As the bishops and the
pope have already said, and as the
examples of Katrina and the 2005
Tsunami have shown us, such
natural disasters will impact poor
people the most. They have the
fewest resources to get out of harms
way or to recover from such
disasters.
Climate change could exacerbate the
conditions of poverty. Those already
food insecure could become more
insecure. Those with armed conflict
within their borders (often over
pasture or farmland) may find more
conflict as water and food resources
shrink. Those with water shortages
could be hurt by longer droughts.
Those in low-lying flood plains could
experience flooding more often and
more intensely.
Should some of the predictions come
true about climate change, we may
see millions of environmental
refugees especially those living in
low-lying areas or who are dependent
on glacial melt for their water, as an
example.
From Genesis to Paul, we are
reminded of our role as caretakers
of creation and stewards of all life.
The stories of creation, the soaring
poetry of the Psalmists about the
beauty of creation, the notions of
jubilee and fallow landall of these
biblical themes and stories call on
humankind to be faithful to the gift of
creation given freely by the Creator.
The gifts of the Eucharist itself are
from the earth: here we take bread
and wine and transform them into the
body and blood of Christ.
The resources we have were
intended for all people, not just some
of us. We must demonstrate in very
concrete ways a love of neighbor that
demands compassion and sacrifice
and care for creation.
BUT WHAT IS CLIMATE
CHANGE?
So what is climate change?
There are many solid resources
on this and I urge you to
do your own research
about its causes and
effects. A simple web
search will yield many
excellent sites. There are
links to some of these
t h r o u g h
www.catholicsandclimate
change.org or the U.S.
bishops website:
www. u s c c b . o r g / e j p /
climate. But let me try to
explain it non-
scientifically.
As winter approaches, we
tend to put an extra blanket
on the bed. As we fade off
to sleep, our bodies radiate
heat but the blankets hold
most of that in. By the
morning, were warm and
comfortable. But imagine
that as you slept, someone
put on an extra blanket,
maybe a down comforter.
Now youve gone from nice
and toasty to sweaty and
uncomfortable. The buildup
of certain gases in the
atmosphere (primarily
carbon dioxide from burning
fossil fuels) is like that down
comforter its just a little bit too
much.
As the sun warms the globe, much
of that heat is absorbed and keeps
the earths overall temperature just
right. The buildings, plants, soil,
water, and snow that absorb this heat
also radiate some of it back into
space. But the buildup of greenhouse
gases is trapping more of this re-
radiated heat causing the overall
average annual temperatures to rise.
For hundreds of thousands of years
these gases have stayed relatively
stable and by proxy data gleaned
from gas bubbles trapped in ice cores
in places like Greenland and
Antarctica, scientists can say with
very high accuracy that the planet has
never had more than about 280 parts
per million of carbon dioxide. Since
the dawn of the industrial age, the
concentrations have crept up to
around 380 ppm today. Is the earth
warming? Yes. Scientists are already
seeing increases in average yearly
temperatures, especially in the
northern latitudes.
The problem with carbon dioxide,
however, is that it sticks around
awhile (approximately 70 years). The
carbon dioxide we put into the
atmosphere today will be around as
our children and their children grow
to adulthood. Plants and the oceans
can absorb some of this, but were
putting more in than either plants or
the oceans can absorb. So even if
we stopped all fossil fuel
consumption today, temperatures will
continue to rise until the
concentrations become more stable.
Its a little bit like trying to stop pre-
heating an oven even after you turn
it off, it continues to heat a little until
it begins to cool down. The big
difference is the timeline, of course.
The oven will begin to cool soon after
the heat is off whereas the climate
may not cool for decades or even
centuries.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
IMPLICATIONS OF A
WARMER PLANET?
Some of these were mentioned
already: stronger and longer heat
waves, more intense floods and
droughts. Secondary impacts will
also become evident. With more
intense heat waves, nighttime
cooling is less likely, especially in
urban areas. Some health officials
are already warning that heat-
related deaths could double by
2020. More heat may also mean
more smog and allergens.
More heat means more
water evaporation leading to
bigger and more intense
storms. Flooding raises the
possibility of more death by
drowning, but also more
damaged crops leading to
food shortages and, in many
places that depend on
subsistence farming, more
famine.
Mosquitoes and other
disease-carrying vectors
thrive in adverse weather
conditions. Malaria already
kills 3,000 people each day,
most of them small children.
Massive migrations could
become the norm as people
escape droughts or flooding.
Such environmental Pope Benedict XVI recently stated: Today, we all see that man can destroy the foundations
refugees could severely tax of his existence, his earth, hence, that we can no longer simply do what we like...we
the relief and development must respect the inner laws of creation, of this earth; we must learn these laws and obey
work by governments and by these laws if we wish to survive.
humanitarian organizations.
In areas dependent on mountain
snow and glacier melting, climate
change may mean too much water
right now (glaciers melting too fast)
and not enough water at the end of
the century (no more glaciers). Dry
areas are predicted to get drier. Sea
levels will rise the debate is over
how high inundating coastal areas
and adding salt water into freshwater
sources. Such is the case in Newtok,
Alaska.
The United States, with all our
resources and wealth, will not be
immune from climate change
impacts. Most of these impacts will
be economic: loss of crops due to
droughts or floods, encroachment by
rising sea level into developments,
and storm damage. But economic
impacts always hit low-income
families and individuals hardest
because they have the least cushion.
Poor children living in our cities are
much more likely to contract asthma
than those living outside the cities.
The ozone, which increases with
rising temperatures contributes to
this. Low-income families are also
less likely to carry health insurance
(Hispanic and African Americans are
2.5 times less likely to have
employer-provided health insurance)
and thus more likely to wait until a
crisis moment requiring emergency
room care, before addressing the
health problem.
But could there be upsides to climate
change? There is likely to be more
land in agriculture, especially in the
northern latitudes. Excessive heat
can kill some pests. Warmer weather
generally creates more wind that may
help disperse pollution. In addition,
warmer winters will reduce cold-
related mortality. On the balance,
however, the majority of scientists
believe that a dramatically altered
climate will be bad for humans as well
as for plants and animals.
USING THE GOLD CARD
A colleague of mine was stuck in an
airport during a snowstorm. But hes
a gold customer of his favorite
airline. Pulling out his gold card, he
got on the next flight out.
This is how climate change could
work: those of us in the developed
part of the world have the gold card
and will be able to get to the head of
the line when the impacts come. The
rest of the folks are stuck at the
airport.
Most of us in the United States have
the means to get out of harms way
in a natural disaster, or to rebuild our
lives. The poor, who have so little to
begin with, will not be so fortunate. If
Hurricane Katrina taught us anything,
it is that the poor will rely on a
partnership of government, business,
charity, and individual generosity to
help them recover and get back on
their feet.
Ultimately, our public discourse about
remedies to climate change will lead
to public policy prescriptions. In the
faith community, we will rely on our
principles to help guide our role in this
debate. For example, the Catholic
bishops call for prudent action in the
midst of uncertainty, the promotion of
the common good over self-interest,
and the protection of the poorest
among us, which is not only a basic
response to the Gospel mandate to
love our neighbor, but a test of our
faith and faithfulness. It is Jesus for
whom we do these things (Mt. 25).
As public officials debate and
legislate, we must remind them that
the winners cant just be some in the
energy industry (making a profit
trading carbon credits, for instance)
or some environmental groups
(scoring reductions in greenhouse
gas emissions and demonstrating
progress to their funders). The
bishops and others in the faith
community will advocate for
provisions that protect the lives and
dignity of the poorest at home and
abroad. People of faith believe that
this should be everyones first priority.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
There are many small and simple
things each of us can do starting
today. The important thing is to start.
Heres a short list:
AROUND THE HOME
! Begin purchasing compact
fluorescent bulbs to replace
incandescent ones. They are a
little more expensive, but last
longer and save money in the
long run because they use much
less electricity. Your electric bill
will drop and less carbon dioxide
ends up in the atmosphere.
! Wrap your hot-water heater with
an insulating blanket. Available
at home improvement stores for
about $20, youll recover this
amount easily within a few
months.
! Install low-flow showerheads and
 take shorter showers.
! When the weather cooperates,
dry your clothes outside on a line
instead of in the drier.
! Insulate your house, weather-
strip around, or if you can afford
it, replace your doors and
windows with more energy
efficient ones.
! Replace your old appliances with
EPAs Energy Star rated
products. AND retire the old
onesdont put the old fridge in
the basement too keep the 12
pack cold.
! Unplug all those chargers just
because your phone is charged,
doesnt mean its not drawing
electricity. Put all your chargers
on a power strip and turn it off
before you go to bed. Same
holds for computers and other
equipment turn them off when
not in use.
! Check with your local utility
company to see if they are
offering power from renewable
sources like wind or biomass and
purchase at least a portion of
your energy from those sources.
! Keep your thermostat a little
higher in the summer and a little
lower in the winter.
TRANSPORTATION
! Carpool to work or school with
others or take public
transportation when possible.
! Combine trips when you need to
use your car.
! Make sure your car tires are
inflated properly.
! If youre going to replace your
car, look for the one with the
highest mileage in your preferred
class. In some cases, this may
be a hybrid, but check twice
some hybrids actually get less
mileage than a car with a smaller
engine.
! Dust off that old bike, oil the
chain, pump the tires and feel like
a kid again on that highly efficient
two-wheeled machine.
OTHER IDEAS
! Plant more trees: If planted on the
southern exposure of your
property trees can help cool your
home in the summer when the
leaves are out and warm the
house when they drop their leaves
and winter approaches. They help
absorb carbon dioxide as well.
! Buy local: join a food co-op or
make friends with a vegetable
farmer. Much of our food travels
for hundreds of miles.
Purchasing locally saves that
transportation fuel and helps the
local economy.
! Educate yourself and share your
knowledge with neighbors and
parishioners.
Many of these same things could be
done in your parish, too. Our
churches, rectories, schools, and
other buildings could benefit from
some energy efficiencies and save
the parish some cash in the long run.
The bottom line is that if we all did a
little, we could keep a lot of greenhouse
gases out of the atmosphere.
At the public policy level, cities, states
and the federal government are
beginning to act on climate change.
Many cities are working to improve
the efficiency of their buildings and
replacing auto fleets with more
efficient cars. States are working
cooperatively to with utility companies
to lower overall emissions.
At the federal level, many in
Congress are crafting legislative
remedies to deal with this issue. The
U.S. bishops and others in the
religious community will be at the
table to focus lawmakers attention
on how these policies impact the least
among us: at home and abroad.
The approach that has the most play
is a cap and trade system where
the government puts a price on
greenhouse gases by issuing permits
for each ton of carbon dioxide. Those
in energy or manufacturing sectors
are required to hold these permits. If
they go over their limit, they will have
to purchase permits from those that
have a surplus. The result of this
process is income generated from
the selling of permits for public
benefits and lowering of greenhouse
gases.
The bishops believe that poor people
at home and abroad should have first
claim on these public funds. For
example: energy bills will likely rise
as the cost of producing energy will
get more expensive. Since energy
costs are a significant percentage of
the household budget for low-income
families, a spike in heating or cooling
costs will create a genuine hardship
for them. Therefore, some of these
new resources should go to offset
these costs.
Likewise, the poorest people on earth
contribute the least to climate change
but will suffer its worst
consequences. The United States,
having contributed the most to
climate change on a historical basis
has a moral obligation to help the
least developed countries adapt to
climate change and assist them in
developing their economies in more
sustainable ways than we have done.
CONCLUSION
In the Book of Deuteronomy, Yahweh
says: I call heaven and earth today
to witness against you: I have set
before you life and death, the
blessing and the curse. Choose life,
then, that you and your descendants
may live, by loving the LORD, your
God, heeding his voice, and holding
fast to him.
In the context of climate change,
these words challenge us anew. We
are on the cusp of a whole new world,
one largely of our making and whose
direction is in our hands. The
challenge is to demonstrate our love
of the Creator by honoring Creation.
We are asked to choose life. This
certainly means choosing human life,
but it is more than that. We are asked
to choose all life. If we fail to choose
life, to protect human life and all
creation, then we and our
descendants may be at risk.
In the words of Pope Benedict XVI:
[I]f we must be obedient to the voice
of the earth, this is even truer for the
voice of human life. Not only must we
care for the earth, we must respect
the other, others: both the other as
an individual person, as my neighbor,
and others as communities who live
in the world and have to live together.
In the months and years ahead,
politicians, scientists, environmental
groups and business leaders will
debate the best course of action to
deal with climate change. These
debates will be vigorous and
sometimes contentious. But too often
the real needs of the poorest people
will be absent.
Climate change will test all of us
especially those with more than our
share of the worlds resources to
contemplate in a more
comprehensive way the notion of
solidarity. We need to begin to think
in terms of sacrifice and restraint; of
simplifying our lives and becoming
more prayerful and careful about the
choices we make as consumers. Or,
as one of my colleagues has
suggested, maybe we ought to think
of our response as a a really long
Lent.