Commentary

Last week, Pope Benedict called for ‘greater protection for our planet and respect for the environment’ according to Vatican Radio.  In remarks directed to a Vatican conference on climate change, he urged Catholics to live, produce and consume in a way that respects creation.  Here is more in an article by the British newspaper Guardian.

Senator John McCain (R, Arizona) said last week that global warming is real and it’s going to take an ‘across the board effort’ to deal with it. 

Last month, 11 retired US Generals and Admirals issued a report describing their concerns that global warming will be a threat multiplier and cause of conflict throughout the world in 30 years. 

The folks who think global warming is not a problem have not given up or gone away.  They are still making their case.  But having the Pope, a powerful Republican Senator and some Pentagon Brass making the case for reducing our carbon emissions sooner rather than later, is a refreshing development. 

It reminds us how broad the arguments for the fight against global warming are: spiritual, moral, military and economic.