Pope Francis’s encyclical on global warming

Pope Francis’s encyclical on global warming

TORONTO AND YORK REGION COUNCIL’S RESPONSE:

The Toronto and York Region Labour Council welcomes Pope Francis’s encyclical “Laudato Si” which challenges humankind to take real and immediate measures to combat global warming.

The Labour Council has been advocating for sustainability and green economic development for many years. We welcome the Pope’s progressive assertion that the issue of climate change is also one of social justice, with deep roots in structural injustice. It is noteworthy that he identified climate-change deniers as those who are “standing in the way of a solution.”

There are many forces that have been obstructing progress on addressing climate change. Fossil fuel corporations have been using their growing wealth and power to assert an “extreme energy” agenda; this includes using far riskier energy extraction methods to get to difficult to reach and often highly polluting fossil fuels (tar sands, hydraulic fracking and arctic drilling).

The Labour Council is particularly pleased by Pope Francis’s acknowledgement that climate change and the rising temperatures are a primarily man-made problem. Francis refers to the “numerous scientific studies” that indicate that “the greater part of the global warming in recent decades is due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases, given off above all because of human activity.” He offers a dire warning that humanity’s “reckless” behaviour, if allowed to continue, will result in “grave consequences” for all of us —beginning with the most vulnerable of our society.

It is morally indefensible for corporations and governments to continue to pursue an economic growth strategy that brings our climate closer to an irreversible tipping point. As Canadians, we reject the assertion that we must choose between the economy and the environment — it is possible to accomplish both.

Real climate action means investing in mass public transit, clean energy infrastructure and affordable housing.  It means expanding low-carbon sectors like healthcare, education, and sustainable agriculture.  By taking real climate action, we can create an economy that is more fair and equal and offers hundreds of thousands of good new jobs.

For inquiries, contact: Angela Zhu, Communications, Toronto & York Region Labour Council, 647.232.7427
communications@labourcouncil.ca.

(PRESS RELEASE)