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Judi Lynn

(160,218 posts)
Wed Dec 10, 2014, 06:57 PM Dec 2014

Catholic Bishops Call for End to Fossil Fuels

Source: Discovery/BBC

Catholic Bishops Call for End to Fossil Fuels
Dec 10, 2014 05:00 PM ET // by Paul Heltzel

A group of Catholic bishops attending the UN climate talks in Lima, Peru, have called for abandoning fossil fuels and a renewed focus in producing a global treaty to reduce carbon emissions.

The bishops, representing Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, issued the statement as negotiators gather at the COP20 talks to hammer out a framework so an agreement can be made in Paris by the end of 2015.

Reported the BBC:


"Monsignor Salvador Piñeiro García-Calderón, Archbishop of Ayacucho, and president of the Peruvian Bishops' Conference, said: 'We can see it's the poorest people who are impacted the most, despite the fact they've contributed the least to causing it.'

'As the church, we see and feel an obligation for us to protect creation and to challenge the misuse of nature. We felt this joint statement had to come now because Lima is a milestone on the way to Paris, and Paris has to deliver a binding agreement.' "


Read more: http://news.discovery.com/earth/global-warming/catholic-bishops-call-for-end-to-fossil-fuels-141210.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1
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gerogie2

(450 posts)
1. Let me get this straight..
Wed Dec 10, 2014, 07:16 PM
Dec 2014

The Catholic Church I was raised in that is against any and all forms of birth control methods so that the Earth's population will rise to 11B people in a couple of decades wants to get rid of all fossil fuels? How will the vast majority of those people be fed?

Just askin...


Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
2. we have to grow corn on our front lawns and hunt the tree critters
Wed Dec 10, 2014, 07:22 PM
Dec 2014

300 bushels of corn an acre. That's plenty for eating/trading and some moonshine for the soul.

 

arcane1

(38,613 posts)
7. Fossil fuels are finite anyway.
Wed Dec 10, 2014, 09:31 PM
Dec 2014

Though I disagree with the church on just about everything, including birth control, I agree with them on this.

 

happyslug

(14,779 posts)
11. The Catholic Church has supported Birth Control since 1939, but none favored by Americans.
Thu Dec 11, 2014, 01:16 AM
Dec 2014

Yes, I know how ineffective the Rhythm method is, but it is a "Birth Control" method and is approved by the Catholic Church. Thus at least one type of "Birth Control" is approved by Catholic, which shows your statement is wrong. If you had said against all types of "Artificial Birth Control" or just used the term "Most" instead of "All" you would be correct but that is NOT what you wrote. Words are important and we need to be as correct and accurate as we can be.

tclambert

(11,080 posts)
3. EXXON SEES ABUNDANT OIL, GAS FAR INTO FUTURE
Wed Dec 10, 2014, 07:41 PM
Dec 2014

"NEW YORK (AP) -- North America, once a sponge that sucked in a significant portion of the world's oil, will instead be supplying the world with oil and other liquid hydrocarbons by the end of this decade, according to ExxonMobil's annual long-term energy forecast."
___________________________________

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EXXON_OUTLOOK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-12-09-14-23-01

 

happyslug

(14,779 posts)
8. It is a quick trip from North America to Europe by sail, about seven days.
Thu Dec 11, 2014, 12:32 AM
Dec 2014

The problem is the other direction, takes about six weeks. This has to do with the Gulf Stream.



http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150448/

In the days of sail, it was faster to go from England to Africa to the Caribbean and then the American East Coast then to go directly from England to North America.



http://www.strangehistory.net/2012/12/09/european-america-or-american-europe-calculating-the-probability-of-pre-columbian-contact/

The Pacific is NOT that much better, the main reason the US wanted Hawaii was it was the best way to go from the Straints of Magellen OR the Panama canal to American West Coast.



https://planetgeogblog.wordpress.com/category/map-of-the-week/

Thus if you are careful you can get to Europe and back in a reasonable amount of time by sail. The problem was cutting though adverse currents

If you ever looked at how Columbus made his four voyages, he stayed south after his first voyage to catch the current out of Africa. He missed the Gulf Stream and thus had to sail through the much slower Sargasso Sea which is in the middle of the Atlantic:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyages_of_Christopher_Columbus

Thus even by the time of Columbus's third and fourth voyages it was understood to go south before you went to the New World.

One of the reasons Columbus may have avoided the Gulf Stream is that by 1497 the English had sent Cabot over to New Foundland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cabot

At that time period Spain and England were close allies, thus Columbus KNEW he could NOT sail into English waters without getting England mad at him and if the English were mad, so would be the King and Queen of Spain, England's closest Ally at that time period.

If you read about the Triangular Trade in History Class, that trade was driven as much by how the Currents flow in the Atlantic than the cargo shipped in that trade. Even today, ships try to use the currents to help them on their way, thus these currents are known and used even today.

Sorry about the following tangent, but when I started to write about WHY Columbus avoided the Gulf Stream (a Current he should have known about, for he had made a trip to Iceland) English and Spanish History of 1450 to 1600 was a major factor. For this purpose all we need to know is the currents are well known, where known in the days of Columbus and known today.

Side Note: English Spanish relations late 1400s to 1604: The Amanda of 1588 was more an effort to return England to the Spanish-English Alliance against the French then a conquest of England by Spain, that alliance even survived, to a degree, the divorce of Catherine from Henry VIII in 1533 and her death in 1536. Henry died in 1547, just 11 years later. The English-Spanish was weak alliance after the divorce, but strengthened when Mary became Queen in 1553 and Married King Philip of Spain in 1544. With Mary's death in 1558 the Alliance again went into a weak state but still existed till 1566 when the Netherlands went into open rebellion against their Spanish overlords. In many ways the Netherlands was the key to the English-Spanish Alliance. Spanish and English wool went to the Netherlands to be spin into cloth, thus Netherlands was important to both nations. When the Netherlands decided to rebel against Spanish rule, England back the Dutch, Spain supported the people in what is now Belgium. Religion was the excuse, trade was the reason for the differences in religion and thus the fight was over trade. Those areas of Europe tied in with early manufacturing or trade turned Puritan/Reform Church/Presbyterian, those areas of Europe that stayed predominantly agricultural stayed Catholic. Thus Ireland, France, Poland Hungary, and the rural areas of Switzerland stayed Catholic, while England, the Netherlands, Southwestern France, the lowlands of Scotland, and the major cities of Switzerland (and certain areas of Germany, Poland and Hungary tied in with trade or early industry) turned Puritan.

Lutheranism of Germany had a different cause and back story, the above applied only to the split between the Catholic Church and the Reform Church of John Calvin. Lutheranism quickly became tied in with the taking of land from the Catholic Church and giving it is supporters of Lutheranism. Thus minimal changes in hierarchy and dogma between Lutherans and Catholics when compared to the Reform Churches of John Calvin but a great fear in the 1600s and 1700s of the return of Catholicism from those people who lived on land stolen from the Catholic Church (This fear extended to the Church of England for the same reason and affected many Puritans who lived on such land, such as Oliver Cromwell). The fear was caused by the reforms of the Catholic Church done in the Council of Trent in the 1560s where most if not all of the objections Luther made in his 99 thesis were addressed. Till the Council of Trent the Catholic Church was on the retreat, after the Council of Trent Catholicism was on the march and the period after 1560 is often called the Counter-Reformation for that reason.

MisterP

(23,730 posts)
12. I doubt that pastoral visits and conclaves are such a major factor in global emissions
Thu Dec 11, 2014, 02:06 AM
Dec 2014

the numbers say it's manufacturing and daily commuting, but, hey

 

happyslug

(14,779 posts)
10. This is something done by the Catholic Church of Peru.Five Bishops from Peru, and four other bishops
Thu Dec 11, 2014, 01:09 AM
Dec 2014

One from South Africa, a FORMER bishop of Bangladesh, one from France and one from Brazil.

and then "Written in collaboration with our Catholic agencies CEAS (Peru), CIDSE, Caritas Internationalis, CAFOD (UK), CCFD–Terre Solidaire (France), Cordaid (The Netherlands), Development and Peace (Canada), MISEREOR (Germany), Secours Catholique (France) and Trócaire (Ireland)."

Thus it is a short list and I am NOT surprised that no American Bishop is on the list, but I am surprised that Canada, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany Catholic organizations had input but NOT any US based Catholic group (and I blame the US Council of Bishops on that).

 

happyslug

(14,779 posts)
9. Here is the Actual Statement of the Bishop:
Thu Dec 11, 2014, 12:47 AM
Dec 2014
http://www.cidse.org/articles/item/675-catholic-bishops-statement-in-lima-on-the-road-to-paris.html

Introduction – from COP20 to COP21

We Catholic Bishops from all continents have come together in Lima on the occasion of COP20 to join the efforts of world leaders as they work towards signing a just and legally binding climate agreement in Paris in 2015.

Following the evangelical option for the poor, we work closely with the most vulnerable communities and the excluded and as such are closely attuned to how the problem of climate change is affecting them. Our message to political leaders and all people of good will is rooted in the experience and suffering of these poor communities.

Humankind on the Planet Earth is ordained to live in equity, justice and dignity, peace and harmony in the midst of the order of Creation. Humankind is ordered to treat respectfully Creation, which has a value in itself. We Catholic Bishops recognize the atmosphere, rainforests, oceans and agricultural land as common good that require our care.
Climate Change and Climate Justice today
We recognize that much good has happened on Earth through the rightful and responsible intelligence, technology and industry of humankind under God's loving care. And yet in recent decades many grave adversities such as climate change, with its devastating impact on Nature itself, on food security, health and migration, led to a great number of suffering people worldwide.

We express an answer to what is considered God's appeal to take action on the urgent and damaging situation of global climate warming. The main responsibility for this situation lies with the dominant global economic system, which is a human creation. In viewing objectively the destructive effects of a financial and economic order based on the primacy of the market and profit, which has failed to put the human being and the common good at the heart of the economy, one must recognize the systemic failures of this order and the need for a new financial and economic order.

We note with appreciation that, in our times, States, Religions and Groups of Civil Society and individuals at all levels are recognizing more and more the natural as well as the ethical concerns of this matter. We wish to see therefore a deepening of the discourse at the COP20 in Lima, to ensure concrete decisions are taken at COP21 to overcome the climate challenge and to set us on new sustainable pathways.

We recognize that in line with truly democratic principles the poor and the poorer nations, who are many and are more affected by climate change impacts, are also agents in the development of nations and human life on earth. They also give us a voice and a sense of hope in our times as we face crises such as climate change. We hope their gentle, meaningful and active participation will encourage decision makers to develop more mixed systems instead of "one size fits all" modern technological-industrial approaches.

We as Bishops call on all parties

1. to keep in mind not only the technical but particularly the ethical and moral dimensions of climate change as indicated in Article 3 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

2. To adopt a fair and legally binding global agreement based on the universal human rights applicable to all in Paris in 2015.

3. to keep the global temperature increase below 1.5 degree Celsius, relative to pre-industrial levels, in order to protect frontline communities suffering from the impacts of climate change, such as those in the Pacific Islands and in the coastal regions.

4. to build new models of development and lifestyles that are both climate compatible and bring people out of poverty. Central to this is to put an end to the fossil fuel era, phasing out fossil fuel emissions and phasing in 100% renewables with sustainable energy access for all.
5. to ensure that the 2015 agreement delivers an adaptation approach that adequately responds to the immediate needs of the most vulnerable communities and builds on local alternatives. They should ensure that 50% of public funds go to meeting their adaptation needs.
6. to recognize that adaptation needs are contingent on the success of mitigation measures taken. Those responsible for climate change have responsibilities to assist the most vulnerable in adapting and managing loss and damage and to share the necessary technology and knowhow.

7. to adopt clear roadmaps on how countries will meet predictable and additional finance commitments and establish robust and transparent accounting methodologies.
Our commitment

We Catholic Bishops believe that Creation is life offered, is a gift for one another and that all will have the needed "daily bread", providing sustainable food security and nutrition.
We Catholic Bishops commit ourselves to developing the sense of 'gratuitousness'3 to contribute to a lifestyle which frees us from a desire of appropriation and enables us to be respectful of the dignity of the person and the harmony of creation.

We Bishops want to accompany the political process and seek dialogue to bring the voices of the poor to the table of decision-makers;

We are convinced that everyone has a capacity to contribute to overcome climate change and to choose sustainable lifestyles.

We Bishops call on all Catholics and people of good will to engage on the road to Paris as a starting point for a new life in harmony with Creation respecting planetary boundaries.
BISHOP SIGNATORIES TO THIS DECLARATION:

Monsignor Salvador Piñeiro García-Calderón, Archbishop of Ayacucho, Peru. President of the Bishops' Conference of Peru
Monsignor Pedro Barreto Jimeno, Archbishop of Huancayo, Peru. President of the Justice and Solidarity Department of the Latin American Bishops Conference (CELAM)
Monsignor Sithembele Antón Sipuka, Bishop of Umtata, South Africa. Representative of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM)
Monsignor Theotonius Gomes, Auxiliary Bishop of Dhaka (Emeritus), Bangladesh. Representative of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC)
Monsignor Marc Stenger, Bishop of Troyes, Representative of the Episcopal Conference of France
Monsignor Zanoni Demettino Castro, Archbishop of Feira de Santana, Brazil. Representative of the Bishops' Conference of Brazil
Monsignor Richard Alarcón Urrutia, Bishop of Tarma, President of Caritas Peru
Monsignor Jaime Rodríguez, Bishop of Huánuco, Perú
Monsignor Alfredo Vizcarra, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Francisco Javier de Jaén, Perú
Written in collaboration with our Catholic agencies CEAS (Peru), CIDSE, Caritas Internationalis, CAFOD (UK), CCFD–Terre Solidaire (France), Cordaid (The Netherlands), Development and Peace (Canada), MISEREOR (Germany), Secours Catholique (France) and Trócaire (Ireland).
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