I jest not. Never having been one to adhere to any organized religion, in fact I have an utter contempt for them, I find myself nonetheless more than a little happy to hear Pope Francis has made global climate change a top concern. According to the Associated Press Francis and his top aides have left us in no doubt they are listening to scientific evidence when it comes to climate change. Well, you could knock me over with a feather! Really? In more astonishing revelations, Francis has said, "it is MAN who has slapped nature in the face." Moreover goes on to say "We have exploited nature too much." You think?
Surprising even myself, I will be reading the encyclical on ecology the Vatican will be releasing in June or July. However, one question does loom, call it the "cow" in the room if you will. Will the pope and the rest of his aides go vegan? Considering the industry of turning animals into meat for consumption is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases (GHG's) one would think they would. Or, will they be, like multiple unmentionable environmental organizations -- see Cowspiracy-- still stick their heads in the proverbial cow manure so as not to hear the farts. (Cow flatulence release methane (CH4) into the atmosphere to such an extent it contributes to GHG's!)
The pope also cites deforestation as a major problem, a problem that can also be attributed to the industrialized animal agricultural industry. A whopping 30 percent of the earth's entire land surface is used to either produce feed for livestock or permanent pasture.
A 2009 report by Anhang and Goodland, released by World Watch stated that a massive 51 percent of GHG's were attributable to industrialized animal agriculture. Even if that number is overly estimated -- which I doubt -- it's at least 18 percent and widely considered more damaging than all of our transportation system combined. A massive move away from meat consumption to a plant based diet is not only the simplest, most effective way to drastically and radically cut GHG's; it is a moral imperative.
Two new studies featuring the work of scientists from multiple countries have concluded that our current path is unsustainable and that large mammals i.e., humans will not be able to adapt to a climate that is going to change as rapidly as it is. The changes are due directly to human influence the likes of which have never been seen before.
Whilst 2014 has been noted as the hottest year in earth's recorded history, apparently the "earth is still flat" folks are convinced the radical lefty green movement has infiltrated the Vatican. Here's to that takeover! Since the pope has also quietly said much to the affect that, all "our animals" go to heaven, perhaps we have at last an animal rights/environmental leader of the Catholic Church. One can only hope cos hey people, we are bang out of time on the climate change front. Those bells you hear are alarm bells not angelic trumpets, sounds like the pope has even heeded the call.