EarthBeat Weekly: Inflation Reduction Act is good, but not enough to solve climate crisis, say politicians

Inflation Reduction Act is good, but not enough to solve climate crisis, say politicians Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change September 8, 2023   Rep. Summer Lee speaks during an event on a moral response to air pollution held Aug. 29 at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Also pictured are, from left, Dan Scheid, Scalabrinian Fr. Bill Christy and Sister of St. Joseph Kari Pohl. (In Solidarity)  At the TED Countdown Summit in Detroit, Michigan from July 11-14 this year, former Vice President Al Gore delivered an impassioned speech about what he sees as the two leading obstacles to solving the climate crisis: the political and financial opposition mounted by the fossil fuel industry. Gore spends the majority of the presentation detailing how the fossil fuel industry has infiltrated global discussions on climate solutions with its lobbyists, placated the public with empty promises to reduce or capture greenhouse gas emissions and develop new renewable technologies, and profited from subsidies and investments at the expense of public health and progress.  Still, he starts off the 25-minute talk by saying, "I'm convinced we are going to solve the climate crisis," and listing measurable steps toward that goal from countries across the globe in the last year, including the United States, Australia, Brazil and the European Union. The recording of the speech was recently released and you can watch it here. In the U.S., Gore says, President Biden and Congress "have passed the best, biggest climate legislation in all of history" with the Inflation Reduction Act. But in spite of this and other signs of progress, emissions are still going up. And that continuing rise in greenhouse gas emissions has negative effects not just on the scale of global warming, but also on local frontline communities. For example, during an Aug. 29 meeting between Catholic leaders in Pittsburgh and their newly elected U.S. House Rep. Summer Lee, participants said that the air quality in the nation's city ranked 14th worst for annual soot pollution — which is caused primarily by fossil fuel combustion — is "better than it used to be," but still not great, reported NCR environment correspondent Brian Roewe. Lee said the Inflation Reduction Act injected a "historic level of funding" for climate justice, including $60 million for environmental justice initiatives, but it's not enough.  Lee has helped secure funding for Pennslvyania's 12th District through the Inflation Reduction Act for air quality monitors and brownfield site remediation. Meanwhile, fracking and petrochemical facilities in the area continue to expand, threatening human health and the health of the local ecosystems. Read more: US Rep. and Catholic leaders in Pittsburgh say solutions to pollution intersect with other justice issues   What else is new on EarthBeat: At African climate summit, faith leaders join demands for climate justice by Frederick Nzwili, Religion News Service At the close of an inaugural summit on climate change, some activists  rejected the declaration issued Sept. 6 by the political and corporate leaders in attendance.  Pakistani women still impacted by 2022 floods, says CRS staffer by Barb Fraze, OSV News A year after floods submerged one-third of Pakistan, "women in particular are (still) being impacted," said Gul Wali Khan, the head of programming for CRS in Pakistan. Nigerian Catholic Church launches campaign to plant 5.5 million trees by Valentine Benjamin Catholics in Nigeria are working to prevent future floods. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria on Feb. 15 launched a tree-planting campaign in partnership with Caritas Nigeria. Revisit Laudato Si' to prepare for Pope Francis' new document on ecology by Daniel P. Horan On Oct. 4, Pope Francis is scheduled to release a new apostolic exhortation on the environment. In the meantime, writes Fr. Dan Horan, we would all do well to revisit the teachings of Laudato Si'. How some US Catholic dioceses are heeding the papal call for a 'green revolution' by Kimberley Heatherington, OSV News Catholics are heeding the call to explore and implement alternatives to fossil fuels. Here's what some dioceses and organizations are doing to become better caretakers of the earth. Catholic sisters continue to revise and refine how they invest to help the world by Dan Stockman In recent decades congregations began moving investments into companies and funds that make a positive impact on the world. Some are using their money to change the investing landscape. Africa fund focused on helping farmers wins Hilton Humanitarian Prize by Chris Herlinger The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation said its 2023 Humanitarian Prize will be awarded to the One Acre Fund, which reaches a network of 4 million farm families across nine African countries. 2023 Season of Creation: Creature Features by NCR Staff EarthBeat will recirculate nine essays and reports on different animals through a twice-weekly newsletter with an original illustration of the day's creature by graphic designer and illustrator Ryan McQuade. What's happening in other climate news: Biden administration cancels remaining oil and gas leases in Alaska's Arctic Refuge —Becky Bohrer and Matthew Daly for The Associated Press After a year and a half, negotiators finally have a draft of the global plastics treaty —Joseph Winters for Grist Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies as climate risks grow —Jacob Bogage for The Washington Post Hundreds of academics call for 100% plant-based meals at UK universities —Damian Carrington for The Guardian In historic legal win, Montana teens see an end to climate change denial —Devin Dwyer and Sarah Herndon for ABC News Final Beat: In an essay to mark the start of the Season of Creation (Sept. 1 - Oct. 4), Marquette professors Heidi Bostic and Stephen Pluháček draw connections between Pope Francis 2015 encyclical "Laudato Si', On Care for Our Common Home," and the celebration of the Eucharist. Referring to humans' relationships with God, with each other and with the earth, they say:  "Our challenge is to live in ways that simultaneously care for all three of the relationships that ground our lives — not as separate or distinct concerns, but as concerns that are intimately interwoven with one another. … In other words, we must learn to live eucharistically — to lovingly lift up one another and all of creation in thanksgiving to God in all that we do." You can read their full essay at Marquette Today here. Thanks for reading EarthBeat! Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org Instagram: @stephanieclaryncr