Today Pope Francis met with oil executives at the Vatican. Who woulda thunk it? What is more groundbreaking, that the pope would invite them to discuss energy, or that they would attend? We've been aware of Francis' commitment to environmental issues, particularly climate change. His encyclical Laudato Si was a timely and mature consideration of the many facets of caring for Creation. I led a study of Laudato Si shortly after it was published and it is impressive.
The meeting today included forty senior executives from companies such as Exxon Mobil and Shell and BP. Not only are they amongst the largest fossil fuel companies in the world, they have been guilty of some of most egregious incidents of environmental damage. New York state is suing some of these companies for knowingly contributing to climate change.
In his address to the group Pope Francis offered:
"We know that the challenges facing us are interconnected. If we are to eliminate poverty and hunger ... the more than one billion people without electricity today need to gain access to it...
But that energy should also be clean, by a reduction in the systematic use of fossil fuels. Our desire to ensure energy for all must not lead to the undesired effect of a spiral of extreme climate changes due to a catastrophic rise in global temperatures, harsher environments and increased levels of poverty."
Will Big Oil have an epiphany and repent of their environmental sins? Well, it may be that law will be the motivator for change rather than grace, but grudging kudos for the oil execs for attending... did I just write that?... And thank God for Pope Francis and his commitment to Earth Care.
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