EarthBeat Weekly: The pope and scientists agree: Act now for a livable future for all

The pope and scientists agree: Act now for a livable future for all Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change June 8, 2023 A young Somali refugee fleeing drought carries her sibling as they walk in the new arrivals area of the Hagadera refugee camp in Dadaab, near the Kenya-Somalia border, in Garissa County, Kenya, Jan. 17. (OSV News/Reuters/Thomas Mukoya) A leading scientific journal has shared new data on the limits of change to the Earth and its climate that humans can endure and still find the planet habitable. While in 2009 Nature published information detailing limits to be respected for "A safe operating space for humanity," the updated and expanded study published May 31 has a more inherently moral thread to it, now touting "Safe and just Earth system boundaries." In a commentary for EarthBeat this week, Reba Elliott said the authors of the study "newly acknowledge that our sisters and brothers do not experience safety equally. When considering climate change, for example, the 'safe operating space' for a subsistence farming community in sub-Saharan Africa is much tighter than it is for a wealthy community in the United States." Elliott added that the new limits "protect not just the average person, but the person who is most vulnerable to disaster." And she says that's something that should motivate Catholics to take immediate action. Read more: New science on ecological justice demands united response from US Catholics Pope Francis agrees that there's no time to waste in addressing climate changes that cause suffering. Speaking at the Vatican to organizers of the "Green & Blue Festival: Earth For All," on World Environment Day (June 5), he reiterated his oft-repeated plea for people "to move away from the throwaway culture toward ways of living marked by a culture of respect and care." The pope recognized that changing models of production and consumption is "an immense and demanding challenge," but added that it is possible, reported Justin McLellan for Catholic News Service. Read more: Pope: Quick change of course necessary to beat climate change The U.S. Capitol is seen in Washington Aug. 6, 2022. (CNS/Reuters/Ken Cedeno) What else is new on EarthBeat: With Franciscan sisters' $1.5 million gift, Network to take on climate lobbying Thanks to a recent donation from the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice will expand its lobbying portfolio on Capitol Hill to include climate advocacy, reported Marybeth Christie Redmond. Kenya diocese's coffee farm spreads conservation skills to local community Established to facilitate evangelization, Nyeri Hill Farm, owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri, has expanded its goals to focus heavily on forest restoration and environmental conservation, reported Shadrack Omuka. This story is part of "Growing a Green Church," an ongoing series focused on churches' efforts to steward their buildings and land effectively in the context of a changing climate. Find more stories in the series here. Catholic climate activists criticize Tanzania bishops for backing oil pipeline Catholic environmental activists in Africa are expressing grave concern after a group of bishops in Tanzania endorsed the proposed East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline project, amid increasing calls to abandon fossil fuels to tackle climate changes, reported Fredrick Nzwili for OSV News. Amid prolonged drought, sisters in Kenya fend off starvation in pastoral villages Despite a prolonged drought in Kenya, Catholic sisters help ward off mass hunger by providing food relief and "transformative solutions" that keep traditionalist villagers in isolated areas from becoming dependent on aid, reported GSR Africa/Middle East correspondent Doreen Ajiambo and Wycliff Peter Oundo for Global Sisters Report. Can money-making microgrids empower Black churches to close the clean energy gap? A Black church in California has set out to develop a microgrid that could generate up to $1 million annually. The project is part of a larger effort to empower Black churches — and their communities — to join the clean energy movement, reported Nicola A. Menzie for Faithfully Magazine. This story is part of "Growing a Green Church," an ongoing series focused on churches' efforts to steward their buildings and land effectively in the context of a changing climate. Find more stories in the series here. Francis, the comic strip After planting trees, Gabby has a beautiful dream about the world. Find out what it is in this comic strip by cartoonist Pat Marrin. What's happening in other climate news: Record Pollution and Heat Herald a Season of Climate Extremes —Somini Sengupta for The New York Times South Korea: Churches commit to carbon neutrality —Zeus Legaspi for Vatican News Recognising role of faith groups in tackling climate crisis represents huge opportunity —Rosalind Skillen for Belfast Telegraph Environmental advocates are asking the EPA to take a stand on reproductive justice —Jessica Kutz for The 19th Reaching net-zero emissions could triple U.S. energy jobs by 2050 —Sarah DeWeerdt for Anthropocene Final Beat: By now you've likely seen photos of — or for those of you in the northeast United States, experienced — the intense smoke covering parts of the U.S. as the wind carries it south from wildfires in Canada. One of my colleagues here at NCR who lives in Connecticut said he and his wife had to sit down to rest after just walking to their mailbox. Another, currently in New York, said this is nothing like the wildfire smoke he's previously experienced living in Los Angeles. He described it as thicker, carbon monoxide intensive and "like sitting next to a BBQ hood."  In Laudato Si', Pope Francis bemoaned how "some forms of pollution are part of people's daily experience" and referenced the millions of premature deaths resulting from such conditions. A study in The Lancet last year says that number, specifically, is 6.5 million deaths each year attributed to air pollution. Read NCR environment correspondent Brian Roewe's coverage of the study when it was published here.  Wildfires are one source of microscopic toxic particles, known as PM 2.5, linked to numerous negative health conditions. Earlier this year, faith and environmental justice groups pressed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set higher PM 2.5 limits to improve air quality and save lives. You can read Roewe's report on that here. While the source of the current poor air quality facing the East Coast (and Canada) — smoke from wildfires —  isn't really something the proposed EPA rule can regulate, it's an ominous look into what a future without the necessary air pollution regulations, or reductions in greenhouse gas emitting activities, could look like. And a reminder that some of our neighbors around the world are already living in this reality. Thanks for reading EarthBeat! Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org Featured Advertisers   Looking to Hire? Offering Retreats? Selling Books? Place an Ad in NCR's Online Classified Section for Only $75 per Month!   Advertisement