Vatican officials, US prelates urge Trump to abide by Paris climate accord
June 01, 2017
Two Vatican officials and a spokesman for the US bishops’ conference reacted with alarm to the news that President Donald Trump intends to pull the US out of the Paris accord on climate change.
“This for us is something that we hoped would not have happened,” said Cardinal Peter Turkson, the prefect of the Vatican’s dicastery for Integral Human Development. Speaking in Washington, during an appearance at Georgetown University, he said that Pope Francis had pushed for a strong agreement in Paris. The cardinal said that issues such as climate change “should be taken out of the political discussion and should not be politicized.”
Also speaking at Georgetown, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the former Vatican representative at the UN, saw Trump’s plan as evidence of a “nationalist trend” in Europe and the US. He indicated that the Vatican opposes this trend, saying: “There are two outlooks. One thinks the solution to the problems of today comes by closing in on itself as a country. The other knows if we join forces, we try to solve the problems.”
Bishop Oscar Cantu, who chairs the international justice-and-peace commission for the US bishops’ conference, wrote to top officials of the Trump administration, arguing against withdrawal from the Paris accord. He pointed out that the US bishops are “on record supporting prudent action to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change.”
Bishop Cantu said that Pope Francis timed the release of his encyclical, Laudato Si’, “in order to urge the nations of the world to work together in Paris for an agreement...” He said: “We hope the United States will honor the commitment it made there.”
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Further information:
- Vatican leaders dismayed by reports that United States will leave Paris climate accord (Washington Post)
- U.S. Bishops’ Chairman Urges The President To Honor The Paris Agreement (USCCB)
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Jun. 02, 2017 1:47 PM ET USA
Bravo Trump. It was a bad agreement heavily burdening the U.S. while China and India and other countries were free of the same burdens. Moreover the issue of the effects of an alleged human-caused climate change is still in dispute among scientists. This accord uses the legitimate concern about the environment as cover to advance an ideology of world government, crippling taxation, and government control in the name of pc. It has a totalitarian flavor from the usual suspects.
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Posted by: feedback -
Jun. 02, 2017 10:08 AM ET USA
Two months ago Cardinal Turkson said that China is the model of environmentalism for the United States. So much for his expertise on the protection of environment. On the other hand, Church officials should be voicing their support for the President's initiatives that limit federal funding for abortions and reinstate religious liberty.
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Posted by: unum -
Jun. 02, 2017 9:03 AM ET USA
Laudato Si' is a memorable document that all people of faith should take seriously. I continue to read, reread, and try to understand the many important lessons of this inspired document. That said, the document does not prescribe any government role for the 'princes' of the Church in national political matters. Yet, the 'princes' are quick to assign themselves political roles and meddle in the affairs of state. Their role is to educate and lead the body of Christ to change society. Deo gratias
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Posted by: jackbene3651 -
Jun. 01, 2017 10:14 PM ET USA
Tough luck, prelates and Pontiff. We have a real president now.
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Posted by: aclune9083 -
Jun. 01, 2017 9:55 PM ET USA
Once again, Vatican officials and many bishops in the USCCB community have demonstrated their failure to understand the manipulated science and politics that underlies the Paris accord and similar political responses to anthropogenic climate change. It's time for the boys to get out of an area in which they have expertise and little understanding and get back to worrying about how to increase vocations, energize the faithful, and save souls.
