Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home is Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment that was published near the end of June, 2015.
Why is this document one that should be read by everyone? It should be read by all because it deals with very important subjects that affect everyone on the planet, especially at the present time. It may be penned by a catholic pope, but it is one of the documents of 2015 that is hugely impactful and should be read, discussed and acted upon for the good of humanity.
Pope Francis, a firm believer in the necessity of gathering facts in order to understand a problem, presents in this encyclical the scientific consensus on climate change and descriptions of other threats to the environment, including threats to biodiversity and water supplies.
In this encyclical the pope appeals for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet†and goes on to say “We require a new and universal solidarity. As the bishops of Southern Africa have stated: “Everyone’s talents and involvement are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God’s creationâ€.
The pope goes on to say that while science and technology “can produce important means of improving the quality of human life,” they have also “given those with the knowledge, and especially the economic resources to use them, an impressive dominance over the whole of humanity and the entire world.”
On the issue of water, the pope says that “The exploitation of the planet has already exceeded acceptable limits and we still have not solved the problem of poverty. Fresh drinking water is an issue of primary importance, since it is indispensable for human life and for supporting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Sources of fresh water are necessary for health care, agriculture and industry. Water poverty especially affects Africa where large sectors of the population have no access to safe drinking water or experience droughts which impede agricultural production. Some countries have areas rich in water while others endure drastic scarcity. One particularly serious problem is the quality of water available to the poor. Every day, unsafe water results in many deaths and the spread of water-related diseases, including those caused by microorganisms and chemical substances. Dysentery and cholera, linked to inadequate hygiene and water supplies, are a significant cause of suffering and of infant mortality.â€
The pope decries that fact that access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights yet the poor are denied access to safe drinking water because they do not have the infrastructure or funding.
The pope goes on to discuss methods by which we can resolve some of the problems we have created, including replacing highly polluting fossil fuels with accessible sources of renewable energy and the need for enforceable international agreements and global regulatory norms while realising that there are no uniform recipes, because each country or region has its own problems and limitations.
While this document is obviously underpinned by religion, it bears reading for its interesting take on global problems and the pope’s solutions to resolving them.
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