CARING FOR GOD’S CREATIONTHROUGH THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

Stewardship of Our Interconnected Global Environment as Catholics in the 21st Century

Katie Hirschboeck, PhD

Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research &Chair, Global Change Graduate Interdisciplinary Program

Date 2011

American Geophysical Union study in 1998

http://www.policyarchive.org/handle/10207/bitstreams/5662.pdf

“Our research suggests that there are a number of reasons why people may be stuck:

1. Most people do not really understand global warming.

2. No accepted source of information. “Clearly the scientific community has not conveyed a sense of unanimity on the subject of global warming. As a result of the fact that they have not heard a clear scientific voice on this subject, people turn to anecdotal and impressionistic evidence as to whether there is such a thing as global warming.”

AGU’s 1998 STUDY CONCLUSIONS: “public paralysis & frustration”

"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal.“

“Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.”

This AGU study preceded the 2001 (third) and 2007 (fourth) Climate Change Assessment Reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The 2007 report contained strongest, consensus statement ever:

So, where are we in the science right now?

www.skepticalscience.com

• The Earth is warming (2010s > 2000s > 1990s > 1980s > 1970s)• Humans are causing this warming (esp. over last 3 decades, “fingerprints”)• The warming will continue (existing concentrations + projections)• The net result will be bad (current observations + projections )• Arguments to the contrary are superficial (or selective)• There are legitimate unresolved questions (this is what makes science “tick”)

“Uncertainty regarding the magnitude of the riskis not an excuse to ignore it !” (prudential judgment is needed)

“We need to continue to decrease the uncertainty, but it's also criticalto acknowledge what we know and what questions have been resolved,

and that taking no action is not an option.”

THE BIG PICTURE:

Figure modified from: www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html

BRIEF REVIEW OF THE BASICS

Radiation Pathways & the Greenhouse Effect

troposphere

aerosols

surface albedo

stratosp

here

aerosols: sulfur-rich volcanic eruptions, pollution

surface albedo:snow & ice coverland use changes deforestation

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20100728_stateoftheclimate.html

Source: NOAA ‘s 2009 State of the Climate Report

[ evidence from carbon isotopes ]

[evidence of enhanced greenhouse effect from radiation & temperature observations at various levels in the atmosphere]

[ evidence from surface temperature measurements ]

[ evidence from carbon isotopes ] [ evidence from atmospheric composition measurements ]

Source: NOAA ‘s 2009 State of the Climate Report

www.epa.gov/climatechange/indicators.html

americasclimatechoices.org/basics.shtml

Operating in more than 20 countries, and with a presence on all continents, Swiss Re is one of the

world’s largest and most diversified reinsurers.

www.swissre.com/rethinking/climate/climate_sceptics.html

2009

2008

2010

Other usefulsources for background on basics, key findings, & skeptics’ arguments:

EPA SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

U.S. and Global temperatures increasing

Heat wave frequency up

Some indication of drought increase

U.S. and Global precipitation increasing; some areas (e.g. Southwest)decreasing

More heavy precipitation events

Intensity (but not frequency) of tropical storms has increased

Stored ocean heat has increased

Sea surface temperatures have increased, but significant spatial and temporal variation

Average sea level has increased, with regional variations

Ocean has become more acid, associated with increased dissolved CO2

Atmosphere Oceans / Hydrosphere

Extent of Arctic sea ice has decreased

Heat-related deaths, but trends difficult to determine

Length of growing season has increased in lower 48 states

Plant hardiness zones have shifted northward, w/ higher winter temps

Some species leafing and blooming earlier

Bird species have shifted wintering grounds northward

Snowpack and depth has decreased in many areas, esp. western US

Snow cover has decreased in N. America, but variable

Lake ice in northern US is freezing later and thawing earlier

Glacial melting has accelerated over last decade

EPA SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS (cont.) Cryosphere Biosphere

How observations of past and present are put together with model projections of the future

Tree rings!

SOURCE: IPCC 2007 WG-1 Synthesis Report Summary for Policymakers

Regional model runsshowed the same results

on every continent

Observed temperatures from 1900 - 2005 (black) compared to computer model results with natural forcing only (blue)

vs. natural + anthropogenic forcing (pink)

SOURCE: IPCC 2007

LABORATORY OF TREE-RING RESEARCH (LTRR)

BristleconePinePinus longaeva

LTRR Conference Room

Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters.

– St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Temperature-sensitive trees near upper elevational

limit of growth

More moisture sensitive at lower elevations

Salzer, Hughes, Bunn & Kipfmueller PNAS Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (2009)

Younger age; faster growth in the early part of record

Remnant wood, unknown pith dates

Recent growth unmatched in

millennia!

Average ring widths of 3 upper treeline sitesBC AD

Reflections on

SCIENCE & FAITH

3. The real cause is human greed. “The biggest factor that derails any kind of consensus about dealing with global warming is the analysis that people have of the underlying cause of global warming.”

“While our focus group respondents tended to say that global warming is caused by deforestation and pollution, they were also quick to point out that the underlying cause is human greed and moral corruption.”

“Moreover, they believed that, as far as these factors are concerned, ‘the toothpaste is out of the tube,’ and we are unlikely to reverse these trends in the near future.”

Returning to the AGU’s 1998 STUDY CONCLUSIONS:

“public paralysis & frustration”

“When thinking about global warming, in other words, our respondents typically saw it as being driven by humans who are unwilling to do the right thing, that is, a seemingly irreversible deterioration in moral values.”

“What they said, over and over again, was that people have become more self-centered, greedy and materialistic, and as a result, the society is inevitably pushed toward more consumption, which in turn causes more pollution and exacerbates the trend toward global warming.”

“As they thought about the problem, they seemed to run into brick walls, characterized by lack of clear knowledge, seemingly irreversible causes, and a problem with no real solution.”

AGU’s 1998 STUDY CONCLUSIONS: “public paralysis & frustration”

“I wish to repeat that the ecological crisis is a moral issue.” (emphasis in original)

Pope John Paul II 1990 World Day of Peace Message, No. 15

Care for CreationRooted in Scripture

& Judeo-Christian Tradition

BOOK OF GENESIS CREATION STORIES:

Dignity of Human Person – created in the image and likeness of God Gn 1:26

BOOK OF GENESIS CREATION STORIES:

-Creation is good Gn 1:31

"Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over . . . all the living things that move on the earth." Gn 1:28

- Humanity charged to “cultivate and care” for creation Gn 2: 15

The Mystery of the Incarnation

Care for Creation Rooted in Scripture & Judeo-Christian Tradition

Other spiritual roots:

-- Ancient connections between faith, work and seasonal rhythms of agrarian communities

-- Early Church: “all held in common”

-- Middle Ages:

-- land and work seen as part of God’s creation, subject to religiously inspired ethical standards

-- Nature viewed as gift; land belonged to God not humans-- community of property, care & protection of poor in society

responsibility of church

-- St. Francis – “Patron Saint of Ecology”-- care for the natural world-- care for humanity; love for the poor

“Perhaps the most inspiring role for Francis as patron of the environmental movement would be to join ecology with an option for the poor.”

( Drew Christiansen, S.J. 1991)

• A God-centered and sacramental view of the universe which grounds human accountability for the fate of the earth.

• A consistent respect for human life which extends to respect for all creation.

• A world view affirming the ethical significance of global interdependence and the common good.

Summary of key Catholic Social Teachings on Care for God’s Creation:

• An ethics of solidarity promoting cooperation and a just structure of sharing in the world community.

• An understanding of the universal purpose of created things which requires equitable use of the earth's resources.

• An option for the poor which gives passion to the quest for an equitable and sustainable world.

• A conception of authentic development offering a direction for progress which respects human dignity and the limits of material growth.

www.nccbuscc.org/sdwp/international/globalclimate.shtml

Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the

Common Good2001

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

“As people of faith, we are convinced that "the earth is the Lord's and all it holds" (Ps 24:1). . . . We believe our response to global climate change should be a sign of our respect for God's creation.

We enter this debate not to embrace a particular treaty, nor to urge particular technical solutions, but to call for a different kind of national discussion. Much of the debate on global climate change seems polarized and partisan.

Science is too often used as a weapon, not as a source of wisdom.

Various interests use the airwaves and political process to minimize or exaggerate the challenges we face.

The search for the common good and the voices of poor people and poor countries sometimes are neglected.”

“At its core, global climate change is not about economic theory or political platforms, nor about partisan advantage or interest group pressures. It is about the future of God's creation and the one human family.

The dialogue and our response to the challenge of climate change must be rooted in the virtue of prudence . . . . Although debate continues about the extent and impact of this warming, it could be quite serious . . . . Consequently, it seems prudent not only to continue to research and monitor this phenomenon, but to take steps now to mitigate possible negative effects in the future.

SCIENCE & THE VIRTUE OF PRUDENCE

“The virtue of prudence is paramount in addressing climate change.“

“ Prudence is not, as popularly thought, simply a cautious and safe approach to decisions. . . . it is a thoughtful, deliberate, and reasoned basis for taking or avoiding action to achieve a moral good.

• intelligence applied to our actions.

• aids in the shaping of the community's conscience.

• moves us to adopt courses of action to protect the common good

Finally, we wish to emphasize the need for personal conversion and responsibility:

• Choices and lifestyles

• Reexamine a culture that prizes the consumption of material goods.

• Conserve energy, prevent pollution, and live more simply

“In [the] spirit of praise and thanksgiving to God for the wonders of creation, we Catholic bishops call for a civil dialogue and prudent and constructive action to protect God's precious gift of the earth's atmosphere with a sense of genuine solidarity and justice for all God's children.”

CONVERSION: Touching the human heart

THE COMMON GOOD

“A greater sense of intergenerational solidarity is urgently needed.

Future generations cannot be saddled with the cost of our use of common environmental resources.”

Pope Benedict XVI 2010 World Day of Peace Message, No. 8

INTERCONNECTEDNESS

“[W]e cannot interfere in one area of the ecosystem without paying due attention both to the consequences of such

interference in other areas and to the well-being of future generations.”

Pope John Paul II1990 World Day of Peace Message, No. 6

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, one finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

–John Muir

THE POOR

“The environment is God's gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole.”

Pope Benedict XVI Encyclical letter Caritas in Veritate, No. 48 2009

Catholic Climate Covenant

CatholicClimateCovenant.org

KEY GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Prudence• Poverty• The Common

Good

•25+ Catholic Partners in Catholic Coalition on Climate Change

•For: Individuals, families, schools, parishes, dioceses, etc.

•Promoting: The St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor

The St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor

• PRAY & reflect about our duty to Creation and the poor

• LEARN about Catholic teaching and climate change and educate others

• ASSESS our contributions to the problem

• ACT to change behaviors and choices

• ADVOCATE on behalf of those without a voice

CatholicClimateCovenant.org

What You Can Do• Join others by taking the St. Francis Pledge and registering your commitment at

http://CatholicClimateCovenant.org

• See How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at http://CatholicClimateCovenant.org/resources/taking-personal-action/

• Encourage others (family, parish, school, arch/diocese) and promote the St. Francis Pledge (see Planning Guide for Promoting & Taking the St. Francis Pledge at http://CatholicClimateCovenant.org/resources)

• Sign up to receive weekly Coalition emails at http://CatholicClimateCovenant.org

• Connect on social networks, call or email info@catholicsandclimatechange.org

CatholicClimateCovenant.org

• “. . . global climate change . . . challenges our ecological understanding as never before, because it defies traditional tools of conventional science.

• It poses a greater threat to the integrity of creation than any other human–caused environmental problem. . . .

• [it] cannot be managed through conventional government regulation: It will require every person, every business and every institution to choose an alternative path . . .”

• “Ultimately global climate change is a theological challenge too because it requires us to reexamine our relationship with the Creator.” ( and Creation itself!)

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Ilia Delio, O.S.F.Keith Douglass Warner, O.F.M.Pamela Wood

A Franciscan Spiritualityof the Earth

2008