The objective of this article is to put in view of the reader, the perspective of secular authorities from all over the world, in relation to the environmental and ecological problems that we live today, contrasting the solution proposals proposed by governments, scientists and civil society in general, with the point of view of the Catholic religion.
The article makes a brief reference to the main political agreements that the heads of state and governments have entered into before the UN since 1972 on environmental matters, including anthropogenic climate change.
We continue with the pronouncement of the current Head of the Vatican State, Pope Francis, who in mid-2015 made known to the Catholic world his religious perspective on the problem in question, through the Encyclical Letter Laudato Sí, on the Care of the Common Home, a document with which it tries to influence the human conscience of Catholics and non-Catholics, to save the life of our planet.
A B STRACT
The aim of this article is to focus the attention of the reader, the perspective of secular authorities around the world, with regard to environmental and ecological problems which we live today, contrasting the proposed solutions posed by governments, scientists and civil society in general, in view of Catholicism.
In the brief article the main political agreements between themselves heads of state and government at the UN since 1972 in environmental matters, including anthropogenic climate change referenced.
We continue with the pronouncement of the current Head of State Vatican, Pope Francis, who in mid-2015 unveiled to the world Catholic religious perspective to the problems in question, by Laudato Yes Encyclical Letter on the Common Home Care, document that tries to influence human consciousness of Catholics and non- Catholics, to save the life of our planet.
P A L A B R A S KEY:
KEY WORDS
SUMMARY / 1. Introduction / 2. Global concern about environmental problems / 3. Ecological-environmental scientific studies / 4. Legal personality of the Holy See / 5. Papal Encyclical Laudato Sí / 6. Conclusion
1 . Introduction
The degradation of the environment in the world is a fact that humanity cannot continue to deny; This phenomenon has revealed important political, ecological, environmental, economic, social and religious considerations that have motivated scientific research to understand the behavior of the environment; its natural and man-made changes; and on the other hand, the international proposal to implement legal-political instruments to regulate environmental practices at the global level.
Faced with the secular failure to regulate man's behavior to temper the environmental and ecological damage of our planet, the spiritual leader of the Catholic religion, Pope Francis, tries to raise awareness among Catholic parishioners through the Encyclical Laudato Sí, with which he tries to influence through religious faith in the internal conduct of the faithful to save the biosphere from ecocide.
The purpose of this article is to make a brief outline of the main agreements signed before the UN by governments and heads of state around the world to temper environmental deterioration, and to briefly comment on the Papal Encyclical L audato Sí.
two
In 1972 the environment became an issue of international importance when it was held in Stockholm, Sweden: the Conference of the
United Nations on the Human Environment. Below we quote one of the 26 guiding principles on the subject so that the reader knows the content of the first efforts made by the international community in the field of international environmental law:
Principle XXVI. All countries, large or small, must deal, in a spirit of cooperation and on an equal footing, with international questions relating to the protection and improvement of the environment. It is essential to cooperate, through multilateral or bilateral agreements or by other appropriate means, to control, avoid, reduce and effectively eliminate the damaging effects that activities carried out in any sphere may have on the environment, taking due account of sovereignty and the interests of all States.1
In the following years, the activities of the nations were directed to include the environment in development plans and decision-making processes; progress was made on scientific and technical issues; politically, the degradation of the environment continued to be questioned; In this interim, among other environmental problems, the depletion of the ozone layer, the warming of the earth and the degradation of forests were aggravated.
In 1983 the United Nations established the World Commission on Environment and Development, which was tasked with developing a program aimed at adopting a change in global behavior to preserve the environment, the result was the Brundtland Report, of which it says Raúl Brañes:
As a consequence of the Brundtland Report, the United Nations General Assembly convened the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
The Conference, known as the Earth Summit, was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from June 3-14, 1992, proclaiming as guiding principles, among others, the following:
II. In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, States have the sovereign right to use their own resources according to their own environmental and development policies and the responsibility to ensure that activities carried out within their jurisdiction or under their control does not cause damage to the environment of other States or areas that are outside the limits of national jurisdiction.
IV. In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection must be an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation. 3.
Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development. From Stockholm to Rio de Janeiro to Johannesburg. Thus, the world summit was called 20 years after the fight against global environmental and ecological deterioration began; Below we transcribe the 2 points that we consider important for the subject at hand:
We, the representatives of the peoples of the world, meeting at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 2-4 September 2002, reaffirm our commitment to sustainable development.
8. 30 years ago, in Stockholm, we agreed that the need to tackle the problem of environmental degradation was urgent. Ten years ago, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, we agreed that environmental protection, social development and economic development were essential to achieve sustainable development based on the principles of Rio. To achieve this goal, we approved a global program entitled “Agenda 21” and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, to which we reaffirm our commitment today. The Rio Conference was an important milestone in establishing a new action plan for sustainable development.
The big problems we must solve:
13. The global environment continues to deteriorate. The loss of biodiversity continues; fish stocks continue to be depleted; desertification advances, claiming more and more fertile land; the adverse effects of climate change are already evident; Natural disasters are more frequent and more devastating, and developing countries have become more vulnerable, while pollution of the air, water and seas continues to deprive millions of human beings of a decent life.4
The fourth meeting on environmental matters, called by the UN, was called: Rio + 20; from which the following note is transcribed below:
"Rio + 20" is the abbreviated name of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (June 20-22, 2012), twenty years after the historic Summit of the Earth in Rio in 1992. Rio +20 was also an opportunity to look towards the world that we want to have in 20 years.
At the Rio +20 Conference, world leaders, along with thousands of participants from the private sector, NGOs and other groups, came together to shape how you can reduce poverty, promote social equity and ensure the protection of the environment on an increasingly populated planet.
The official talks focused on two main themes: how to build a green economy to achieve sustainable development and lift people out of poverty, and how to improve international coordination for sustainable development.5
3. Ecological-environmental scientific studies
The Stern Report. The truth about climate change; It is a study that gathers multiple scientific evidence, which shows that climate change is a serious global threat and that it requires an urgent global response.
The aforementioned study was announced by the British Chancellor of the Exchequer in July 2005, the period of invitation to collaborate with the report was open from October 10, 2005 to January 15, 2006.
Due to the importance of the Stern report, we allow ourselves to make the following quotes, which correspond to the general focus of the Report, some results of the investigation and conclusions:
During the development of the report, Sir Nicholas and team members visited a number of key countries and institutions, including Brazil, Canada, China, the European Commission, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Russia, South Africa and the United States. United. The visits and work carried out in the UK involved a wide range of interactions with economists, scientists, politicians, business and NGOs.6
This report takes an international perspective on the economics of climate change. Climate change is a global issue that requires an equally global response. Science tells us that emissions have the same effects, regardless of whether they arise. The implication of this in the economic field is that we are clearly and unequally faced with a problem of international collective action, with all the well-known difficulties in generating coherent actions and preventing free riding behavior. This is a problem, as it requires international cooperation and leadership.7
Central messages. Climate change threatens the basic elements of life for people around the world: access to water, food and health, and the use of land and the environment. If current trends continue, mean global temperatures could rise by 2-3 ° C over the next fifty years, leading to multiple serious consequences, often in the form of water-related problems, such as increased frequency of droughts and floods.8
Water. The permanent melting of glaciers and the loss of high mountain snows will increase the risk of flooding during the wet season and threaten the reserves and water supply during the dry season for one sixth of the world's population (which, today, it would equal more than 1 billion people).9
Feeding. In tropical regions, even low doses of warming will cause a decline in agricultural productivity. At latitudes closer to the poles, crop yields may initially increase with moderate increases in temperature, but will then decline as well. Rising temperatures will cause substantial drops in cereal production in all regions of the world, especially if the fertilizing effect of carbon dioxide is lower than previously believed, as suggested by recent studies.10
Health. Climate change will increase deaths from malnutrition and heat stress around the world. Vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever, could also spread further if effective control measures are not in place. At very high latitudes, deaths from cold-related causes will decrease.11
The land. Rising sea levels will increase coastal flooding, increase coastal protection costs, cause loss of wetlands and swamps, and coastal erosion, and accelerate the intrusion of salt water into land surfaces and in groundwater.12
The infrastructures. The damage that storms cause to infrastructure will increase substantially with minimal increases in the intensity of meteorological episodes. Changes in ground conditions (caused by droughts or detrimental permafrost) will influence the stability of buildings.13
Environment. Climate change is likely to occur so rapidly that many species do not have time to adapt to it. According to one study, it is estimated that, if global warming of 2 ° C occurs, between 15 and 40% of species will have to face extinction. The intense increase in atmospheric dryness around the Amazon basin predicted by some climate models would mean the gradual extinction of the most biodiverse forest mass on the planet.14
Conclusion. Climate change will have an increasingly serious impact on the world's population and the risk of large-scale and abrupt changes at higher temperatures will not stop growing.15
Implications of climate change for development.
Central messages. Climate change poses a real threat to the developing world. Left unchecked, it will become a difficult stumbling block for continued poverty reduction. 16.
Sensitivity. Developing economies are highly sensitive to the direct effects of climate change due to their heavy dependence on agriculture and ecosystems, their rapid population growth (which concentrates millions of inhabitants in slums and makeshift settlements outside the legality) and low levels of health.17
Population movement and risk of conflict. Increased resource shortages, desertification, the risk of drought and floods, and rising sea levels could push millions of people to emigrate; a form of individual adaptation and last resort for these human beings, but which could be very costly both for them and for the world.18
Costs of climate change in developed countries.
Central messages. Climate change will have some positive effects for certain developed countries as long as warming levels remain moderate, but it will be very damaging with the (higher) temperatures that the planet is expected to experience during the second half of this century. P. 19
Effects on wealth and production. Climate change will have some positive consequences for some developed countries as long as warming levels are moderate, but it is likely to be very detrimental in the long run given the much larger temperature increases that threaten to further warm the world during the second half. this century (and beyond) if emissions continue to grow.20
Effects of extreme events. The costs of extreme weather effects, such as storms, floods, droughts and heat waves; will increase rapidly at higher temperatures, potentially offsetting some of the initial benefits of climate change, the costs of such extreme weather alone could reach 0.5-1% of global GDP by the middle of this century and would not stop growing at as the world continues to warm.21
Estimating the global cost of climate change: an analysis of the expected utility. Realistically, and given the inertia of the climate system itself under current conditions, right now it is only possible to avoid a small fraction of the cost of climate change expected between the year and 2050.22
Towards a goal for climate change policy.
Central messages. Reducing the anticipated adverse impacts of climate change is both feasible and extremely desirable.
Science and economics suggest that a common international understanding of desired climate change policy goals would be a valuable foundation for action.23
Setting targets for performance. Having made the case for vigorous action, the challenge remains of formulating more specific targets, so that man-made climate change is slowed down and stopped without unnecessary costs.24
4. Legal Personality of the Holy See
The jurist Carlos Arellano García, in his book entitled: First Course on Private International Law, gives an account of the international legal recognition of the State of Vatican City.
The Holy See is the jurisdiction of the Pope, head of the Catholic Church, who is hierarchically at the pinnacle of the priestly conglomerate and of the group of faithful who profess the Catholic religion. The representation of the Catholic Church is held by the Pope. Who acts on behalf of the Catholic Church and on behalf of the Vatican City State.
The word: headquarters, comes from the Latin word sedes and means chair, seat. It is the seat or throne of a prelate. The Holy See is the jurisdiction of the Pope and the Pope has jurisdiction throughout the world. Of course this jurisdiction is regarding the Catholic religion.
The Vatican City State is a sovereign State constituted by the Lateran agreements, signed on February 11, 1929 between the Holy See and the Italian Government. It is located within the urban area of Rome, its extension is 0.44 km2 and its population is approximately one thousand inhabitants. The Head of State is the Pope, who has the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Power and exercises his sovereignty through a Pontifical Commission chaired by a Cardinal and a Governor.
From a historical point of view, it should be noted that the legal personality of the Holy See and the highest representative that is the Pope, has been recognized since the Middle Ages. Since then, the Pope had the dual role of Supreme Pontiff or spiritual leader of the Catholic Church and that of head of the Papal States.25
Etymological origin of the word Pope:
On April 17, 2015, the Vatican published the 2015 Pontifical Yearbook on its internet portal, in which it gives an account of the latest statistics of the Church and the number of Catholics in the world in each country, according to data which were collected in late 2013.
There are currently 1.254 million Catholics worldwide, 12% more than in 2005, and they represent 17.7% of the global population.
From 2005 to 2013, the world population grew from 6,463 to 7,094 million; the percentage of Catholics grew in this same period from 17.3 to 17.7%.
Distribution of Catholics in the world: America 49%. Europe 22.9%. Asia 10.9%. Africa 16.4% and Oceania 0.8%.27
5. Papal Encyclical, Laudato Sí
The spiritual leader of Catholics in the world, Pope Francis, on June 18, 2015 made known the religious perspective in the face of the ecological-environmental problem that we live and, the crisis of human and spiritual values, so through From the Encyclical Letter Laudato Sí, on the Care of the Common Home, the Pope exhorts all human beings to reflect on and regulate our internal and external conduct for our common welfare; that is to say, humanity to find the balance between our interiority and the environment.
Etymology of the word encíclica:
The Encyclical Letter Laudato Sí, of Pope Francis, On the Care of the Common Home, contains 246 points and was signed on Pentecost Sunday, the Encyclical begins with the canticle of the creatures of Saint Francis of Assisi, to then lament the damage that with our sins we do in sister water, sister earth; Below we quote verbatim the introductory content and the interpretation of the 6 chapters of the Encyclical published on the Infovaticana digital portal:
Given in Rome, together with Saint Peter, on May 24, Solemnity of Pentecost, in the year 2015, the third of my Pontificate.
1. "Laudato si ', my' Signore" - "Praised be you, my Lord", sang Saint Francis of Assisi. In that beautiful song he reminded us that our common home is also like a sister, with whom we share our existence, and like a beautiful mother who welcomes us into her arms: »Praised be you, my Lord, through our sister, our mother earth, the which sustains us, and governs and produces various fruits with colorful flowers and grass «.
2. This sister cries out for the damage we cause her because of the irresponsible use and abuse of the goods that God has placed in her. We have grown up thinking that we were its owners and rulers, authorized to plunder it. The violence that exists in the human heart, wounded by sin, also manifests itself in the symptoms of disease that we notice on the ground, in the water, in the air and in living beings. For this reason, among the poor who are most abandoned and mistreated, is our oppressed and devastated land, which "groans and suffers the pains of childbirth" (Rom 8,22). We forget that we ourselves are earth (cf. Gen 2,7). Our own body is made up of the elements of the planet, its air is what gives us breath and its water vivifies and restores us.
Nothing in this world is indifferent to us.
3. More than fifty years ago, when the world was teetering on the edge of a nuclear crisis, the holy Pope John XXIII wrote an encyclical in which he did not settle for rejecting a war, but wanted to transmit a proposal for peace. He addressed his message Pacem in terris to the whole »Catholic world«, but added »and to all men of good will«. Now, in the face of global environmental deterioration, I want to address each person who inhabits this planet. In my exhortation Evangelii gaudium, I wrote to the members of the Church in order to mobilize a process of missionary reform still pending. In this encyclical, I especially try to enter into dialogue with everyone about our common home.
4. Eight years after Pacem in terris, in 1971, Blessed Pope Paul VI referred to the ecological problem, presenting it as a crisis, which is "a dramatic consequence" of the uncontrolled activity of the human being: "Due to exploitation inconsiderate of nature, it runs the risk of destroying it and of being a victim of this degradation. He also spoke to FAO about the possibility of an »ecological catastrophe under the effect of the explosion of industrial civilization«, underlining the »urgency and the need for a radical change in the behavior of humanity«, because »the more scientific progress extraordinary, the most surprising technical feats, the most prodigious economic growth, if they are not accompanied by authentic social and moral progress, they ultimately turn against man ».
5. Saint John Paul II dealt with this subject with increasing interest. In his first encyclical, he warned that human beings seem "not to perceive other meanings of their natural environment, but only those that serve the purposes of immediate use and consumption". He successively called for a global ecological conversion. But at the same time he noted that little effort is made to »safeguard the moral conditions of an authentic human ecology«.6 The destruction of the human environment is something very serious, because God not only entrusted the world to the human being, but his own Life is a gift that must be protected from various forms of degradation. Any claim to care for and improve the world involves profound changes in »lifestyles, production and consumption models,the consolidated structures of power that govern society today «. Authentic human development has a moral character and presupposes full respect for the human person, but it must also pay attention to the natural world and »take into account the nature of each being and their mutual connection in an orderly system«. Therefore, the ability to transform the reality of the human being must be developed on the basis of the original gift of things by God.the ability to transform the reality of the human being must be developed on the basis of the original gift of things by God.the ability to transform the reality of the human being must be developed on the basis of the original gift of things by God.
6. My predecessor Benedict XVI renewed the invitation to "eliminate the structural causes of the dysfunctions of the world economy and correct the growth patterns that seem incapable of guaranteeing respect for the environment". He recalled that the world cannot be analyzed only by isolating one of its aspects, because »the book of nature is one and indivisible«, and includes the environment, life, sexuality, family, social relations, etc. Consequently, »the degradation of nature is closely linked to the culture that shapes human coexistence«. Pope Benedict proposed that we recognize that the natural environment is full of wounds produced by our irresponsible behavior. Also the social environment has its wounds. But all of them are basically due to the same evil, that is,to the idea that there are no indisputable truths that guide our lives, for which human freedom has no limits. It is forgotten that »man is not only a freedom that he creates for himself. Man does not create himself. It is spirit and will, but also nature. "With paternal concern, he invited us to become aware that creation is harmed" where we ourselves are the last instances, where the whole is simply our property and consumption is only for us themselves. The waste of creation begins where we no longer recognize any instance above us, but only see ourselves «.It is forgotten that »man is not only a freedom that he creates for himself. Man does not create himself. It is spirit and will, but also nature ". With paternal concern, he invited us to become aware that creation is harmed" where we ourselves are the last instances, where the whole is simply our property and consumption is only for us themselves. The waste of creation begins where we no longer recognize any instance above us, but only see ourselves «.It is forgotten that »man is not only a freedom that he creates for himself. Man does not create himself. It is spirit and will, but also nature ". With paternal concern, he invited us to become aware that creation is harmed" where we ourselves are the last instances, where the whole is simply our property and consumption is only for us themselves. The waste of creation begins where we no longer recognize any instance above us, but only see ourselves «.where the whole is simply our property and consumption is only for ourselves. The waste of creation begins where we no longer recognize any instance above us, but only see ourselves «.where the whole is simply our property and consumption is only for ourselves. The waste of creation begins where we no longer recognize any instance above us, but only see ourselves «.
United by the same concern.
7. These contributions of the Popes include the reflection of countless scientists, philosophers, theologians and social organizations that enriched the thought of the Church on these questions. But we cannot ignore that, also outside the Catholic Church, other Churches and Christian Communities - as well as other religions - have developed a broad concern and valuable reflection on these issues that concern us all. To give just one notable example, I want to briefly collect part of the contribution of the dear Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, with whom we share the hope of full ecclesial communion.
8. Patriarch Bartholomew has referred particularly to the need for each one to repent of their own ways of damaging the planet, because, »to the extent that we all generate small ecological damage«, we are called to recognize »our contribution - small or great - to the disfigurement and destruction of creation «. On this point he has repeatedly expressed himself in a firm and stimulating way, inviting us to recognize the sins against creation: »That human beings destroy biological diversity in divine creation; that human beings degrade the integrity of the earth and contribute to climate change, stripping the land of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; that human beings pollute the waters, the soil, the air. These are all sins.Because »a crime against nature is a crime against ourselves and a sin against God«.
9. At the same time, Bartolomé drew attention to the ethical and spiritual roots of environmental problems, which invite us to find solutions not only in technique but also in a change in the human being, because otherwise we would face only the symptoms. He proposed that we go from consumption to sacrifice, from greed to generosity, from waste to the ability to share, in an asceticism that »means learning to give, and not simply giving up. It is a way of loving, of moving little by little from what I want to what God's world needs. It is liberation from fear, greed, dependence «. Christians, moreover, are called to »accept the world as a sacrament of communion, as a way of sharing with God and with our neighbor on a global scale.It is our humble conviction that the divine and the human meet in the smallest detail contained in the seamless garments of God's creation, down to the last grain of dust on our planet.
San Francisco de Asis.
10. I do not want to develop this encyclical without resorting to a beautiful model that can motivate us. I took his name as a guide and as an inspiration at the time of my election as Bishop of Rome. I believe that Francisco is the quintessential example of caring for what is weak and of an integral ecology, lived with joy and authenticity. He is the patron saint of all those who study and work around ecology, also loved by many who are not Christians. He showed a particular attention to God's creation and to the poorest and most abandoned. He loved and was loved for his joy, his generous dedication, his universal heart. He was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived simply and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature, and with himself.It shows to what extent concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society and inner peace are inseparable.
11. His testimony also shows us that an integral ecology requires openness towards categories that transcend the language of mathematics or biology and connect us with the essence of humanity. Just as it happens when we fall in love with a person, each time he looked at the sun, the moon or the smallest animals, his reaction was to sing, incorporating the other creatures in his praise. He entered into communication with everything created, and even preached to the flowers "inviting them to praise the Lord, as if they enjoyed the gift of reason". His reaction was much more than an intellectual assessment or an economic calculation, because for him any creature was a sister, attached to him with affectionate ties. That is why he felt called to take care of everything that exists. His disciple Saint Bonaventure said of him that,»Filled with the greatest tenderness when considering the common origin of all things, he gave all creatures, however despicable they may seem, the sweet name of sisters«.20 This conviction cannot be dismissed as an irrational romanticism, because it has consequences in the options that determine our behavior. If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to amazement and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of brotherhood and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitudes will be those of the dominator, the consumer or the mere exploiter of resources, incapable of putting a limit to his immediate interests. On the other hand, if we feel intimately united to everything that exists, sobriety and care will spring up spontaneously.The poverty and austerity of Saint Francis were not a merely external asceticism, but something more radical: a refusal to convert reality into a mere object of use and domination.
12. On the other hand, Saint Francis, faithful to Scripture, proposes that we recognize nature as a splendid book in which God speaks to us and reflects to us something of his beauty and goodness: »Through greatness and beauty of creatures, the author is known by analogy "(Wis 13,5), and" his eternal potency and divinity are made visible to the intelligence through his works since the creation of the world "(Rm 1,20). For this reason, he asked that the convent always leave a part of the garden uncultivated, so that wild herbs could grow, so that those who admired them could raise their thoughts to God, the author of such beauty. The world is more than a problem to be solved, it is a joyous mystery that we contemplate with joyous praise.
My calling.
13. The urgent challenge of protecting our common home includes the concern to unite the entire human family in the search for sustainable and integral development, since we know that things can change. The Creator does not abandon us, he never turned back in his love project, he does not regret having created us. Humanity still has the ability to collaborate to build our common home. I wish to acknowledge, encourage and thank all those who, in the most varied sectors of human activity, are working to ensure the protection of the home we share. Special gratitude deserves those who vigorously fight to resolve the dramatic consequences of environmental degradation on the lives of the world's poorest. Young people demand a change from us.They wonder how it is possible to try to build a better future without thinking about the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded.
14. I make an urgent invitation to a new dialogue on the way we are building the future of the planet. We need a conversation that unites us all, because the environmental challenge that we live, and its human roots, interest and impact us all. The global ecological movement has already come a long and rich path, and has generated numerous citizen groups that helped raise awareness. Unfortunately, many efforts to find concrete solutions to the environmental crisis are often frustrated not only by the rejection of the powerful, but also by the lack of interest from others. The attitudes that obstruct the ways of solution, even among believers, range from denial of the problem to indifference, comfortable resignation, or blind trust in technical solutions.We need a new universal solidarity. As the Bishops of South Africa said, "everyone's talents and involvement are needed to repair the damage caused by human abuse to God's creation." We can all collaborate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each one from their culture, their experience, their initiatives and their capacities.
15. I hope that this Encyclical Letter, which is added to the Social Magisterium of the Church, will help us to recognize the greatness, the urgency and the beauty of the challenge before us. In the first place, I will make a brief tour of different aspects of the current ecological crisis, in order to take on the best fruits of the scientific research currently available, allow us to question it in depth and give a concrete basis to the ethical and spiritual itinerary as described. indicated below. Starting from that point of view, I will return to some reasons that emerge from the Jewish-Christian tradition, in order to seek greater coherence in our commitment to the environment. Then I will try to get to the roots of the current situation, so that we look not only at the symptoms but also at the deeper causes.Thus we can propose an ecology that, among its different dimensions, incorporates the peculiar place of the human being in this world and its relationships with the reality that surrounds it. In light of this reflection, I would like to advance some broad lines of dialogue and action that involve both each of us and international politics. Finally, since I am convinced that all change needs motivations and an educational path, I will propose some lines of human maturation inspired by the treasure of Christian spiritual experience.In light of this reflection, I would like to advance some broad lines of dialogue and action that involve both each of us and international politics. Finally, since I am convinced that all change needs motivations and an educational path, I will propose some lines of human maturation inspired by the treasure of Christian spiritual experience.In light of this reflection, I would like to advance some broad lines of dialogue and action that involve both each of us and international politics. Finally, since I am convinced that all change needs motivations and an educational path, I will propose some lines of human maturation inspired by the treasure of Christian spiritual experience.
16. Although each chapter has its own theme and a specific methodology, it also takes up important issues addressed in the previous chapters from a new perspective. This is especially the case with some axes that run through the entire encyclical. For example: the intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet, the conviction that everything in the world is connected, the criticism of the new paradigm and the forms of power that derive from technology, the invitation to seek other ways of understanding economy and progress, the value of each creature, the human sense of ecology, the need for sincere and honest debates, the serious responsibility of international and local politics, the culture of discarding and the proposal of a new style of lifetime. These topics are not closed or abandoned,rather, they are constantly rethought and enriched.29
Sandro Magister, a collaborator of Infovaticana, published on the Vatican website, the analysis of Pope Francis' Encyclical, Laudato Si, On Ecology:
The encyclical, with 246 points and signed on Pentecost Sunday, begins with the song of the creatures of Saint Francis of Assisi, to then lament the damage that with our sins we do in "sister water, sister earth."
The first chapter of the encyclical is entitled “What is happening in our house”, and in it Francis analyzes “climate changes”, which especially affect underdeveloped countries, the question of water, the loss of biodiversity, the deterioration of the quality of life and planetary inequalities, concluding with the diversity of opinions in this regard. In this sense, the Pope points out in point 61 that "on many issues the Church does not have a
definitive voice, but must promote honest scientific debates", although he maintains that "it is enough to look at reality with sincerity to see that there is a serious deterioration of our common home ”.
The second chapter is entitled "The Gospel of Creation", and deals with the light of faith and the wisdom of the biblical story, around the universal destiny of goods. For the Pope, "believers and non-believers today agree that the earth is a common inheritance whose fruits should be for the benefit of all." The Pope recalls that although the Church recognizes a right to property, on this "a social mortgage weighs, because the goods serve the purpose that God has given them." In this sense, the environment is "a collective good, heritage of all humanity and responsibility of all."
The Pope dedicates the third chapter of Laudato Si to analyze "the human roots of the ecological crisis", due to the "globalization of the technocratic paradigm". The Pope denounces that "the immense technological surge has not been accompanied by a development of the human being with regard to responsibility, values and conscience."
The fourth chapter tries to build an integral ecology, differentiating between environmental, economic, social, cultural and everyday life ecology, highlighting in any case justice with future generations and the principle of the common good: "The common good presupposes respect of the human person as such, with fundamental and inalienable rights ordered to their integral development. "
The fifth chapter proposes some lines of orientation and action, in which it proposes the dialogue between politics, economics and the dialogue between faith and science. At this point (170) the Pope criticizes that the emission quota system established by Kyoto has the danger of imposing on poor countries conditions similar to those of rich countries, thus penalizing the most disadvantaged countries. Especially when these emission rights are traded on secondary markets, generating speculation that does not contribute to reducing pollution. In this sense, the Pope assures that for poor countries the political priority must be the eradication of poverty and the development of their inhabitants, while the reduction of pollution must always be promoted with the support of rich countries.
The sixth and last chapter of the encyclical, entitled “Ecological Education and Spirituality”, proposes to point towards another style of life, educating in the alliance between humanity and the environment.30
conclusion
We have taken a broad perspective from global environmental issues to understand the challenges we face.
Science has shown the seriousness of ecological and environmental phenomena, climate change (among other problems), is causing catastrophic consequences in different latitudes of the planet; This problem has been addressed by nations around the world since 1972, the efforts to mitigate the adverse effects on the environment have not been in vain, but they have been insufficient; as we have not been able to effectively control, avoid, reduce, or eliminate the harmful effects derived from economic activities. Law, politics, science and technology are the indispensable tools used by governments to achieve the common goal.
The religious perspective of the environmental problem addressed by Pope Francis, spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, who through the Encyclical Letter Laudato Sí, on Caring for the Common Home, tries to spiritually persuade Catholics, non-Catholics, rich and poor countries establish dialogue between politics, economics, faith and science, in order to stop environmental damage; from which it follows that we must manage to harmonize our interiority with the environment.
______
1 Quintana Valtierra, Jesús, Mexican Environmental Law, Mexico, Porrúa, 2000, p. 308.
2 Brañes, Raúl, Manual of Mexican Environmental Law, FCE, Mexico, 2012, 3rd reprint, p. 70.
3 Federal Ecological Agenda 2013, Rio Declaration on the environment and development, Mexico, ISEF Fiscal Editions.
4 United Nations, Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development, From our origin to the future, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, (Online database), Available at: http://www.un.org/spanish/ esa / substitudev / WSSDsp_PD.htm
5 United Nations, The future we want, What is Rio +20 ?, (Online database), Available at: h ttp: //www.un.org/es/sustainablefuture/about.shtml
6 Stern, Nicholalas, The Stern Report, The Truth About Climate Change, Trad. Albino Santos (1st part) and Joan Vilaltella (2nd part) Barcelona, Spain. Paidós Ibérica, SA, 2007, p. 14.
7 op. cit.; p. 18
8 op. cit.; p. 33.
9 op. cit.; p. 49.
10 op. cit.;, p. 55.
11 op. cit.; p. 67.
12 op. cit.; p. 73.
13 op. cit.; p. 77
14 op. cit.;, p. 79.
15 op. cit.; p. 88.
16 op. cit.; p.91.
17 op. cit.; p. 97
18 op. cit.; p. 133.
19 op. cit.; 145.
20 op. cit.; p. 147.
21 op. cit.; p. 161.
22 op. cit.; p. 210.
23 op. cit.; p. 229.
24 op. cit.; p. 238.
25 Arellano García, Carlos, First course of Public International Law, México, Porrúa, 2006, p.353 -354.
26 Real Academia Española, Dictionary of the Spanish Language, XXIII Edition, (online database), Madrid, October 2014, Available at: http://dle.rae.es/?w=encclica&m=form&o=h
27 Álvaro de Juana, These are the official figures of Catholics in the world, (electronic newspaper) Vatican April 17, 2015, available at: h ttps: //www.aciprensa.com/noticias/estos-son-los-numeros -of-the-catholic-in-the-world-according-to-papal-yearbook-2015-40519 /
28 Royal Spanish Academy, Dictionary of the Spanish Language, XXIII Edition, (online database), Madrid, October 2014, Available at: http://dle.rae.es/?w=encclica&m=form&o=h
29 Encyclical Letter, Laudato Sí, From the Holy Father Francisco, On the care of the common home, Available at:
30 Sandro Magister, Laudato Sí leaks, the Pope's encyclical on ecology, INFOVATICANA, June 15, 2015, available at: http://www.infovaticana.com/2015/06/15/laudato-sii-la-enciclica -of-the-potato-on-ecology-already-available /
Download the original file
