Have you noticed that the average temperature on Earth is increasing gradually? Fifteen of the sixteen warmest years have been detected since 2000. The data for all of the past 1000 years is there, and from the 1550’s, the first millennium after the dawn of modern civilization, the increase has been less than one degree Fahrenheit. Eight of the warmest years in the last century have occurred in the last ten years. Now, climate change is a global phenomenon, but with every country in the world, individual political interests make it unlikely that a global carbon tax will be implemented. In China and India, there is no incentive to clean up, because their economies are depending on fossil fuels for growth.
Warming is the main problem of worsening climate on the Earth
The correlation between warming and high levels of CO2 is undeniable. Indeed, nearly everyone agrees that a major warming of the planet is almost certain if we do not cut back on our emissions. Yet, virtually no one actually wants to do anything about it, and some are even beginning to become uneasy. On February 24, 2017, Ed Maibach, president of the Center for Climate Change Communication, a nonpartisan group, published a “Survey of Faith Leaders.” They said,
To encourage citizens and government leaders to take action on climate change, the Climate Communication Project commissioned our national network of faith leaders to share their thoughts and concerns about the issue. The survey, which was completed by over 300 U.S. faith leaders in January 2017, revealed a mixed and complex picture. Faith leaders see environmental and climate change as being connected to the world’s other “domestic and international problems and crises.” Indeed, most cite climate change as among the most serious of environmental problems and what society will need to tackle if we are to overcome many other global challenges. At the same time, faith leaders are divided over how individuals and families should respond to climate change.
There is also little consensus about solutions. Some say that we should move to renewables, including solar and wind. Many are building solar and wind farms. Some are willing to switch to electric cars. The prospects of this happening are certainly unclear, especially in the United States. And although I am always in favor of nuclear power, it too requires further research. But nuclear power has some promising advantages over solar and wind, in that the costs will be less and that a reactor can be easily repaired. Nevertheless, I doubt that these alternative energies will really come to the rescue of our environment.
Is there hope for improvement?
At the moment, most are anticipating a warmer world in the years ahead. One theologian, speaking of his millennial teaching, said,
We are all trapped in the whirlpool of an accelerating future. To resist it is to resist God.
The Bible says that in the end, the poor and needy will inherit the earth. But I do not see that being the case for many of our grandchildren. The latter half of the twenty-first century, especially, will surely be one of extreme heat and pollution, in which our quality of life will certainly deteriorate. Yet the holy Bible does not say that the future will be kind to us. The Bible says that in the end, there will be wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and other disasters. That is why the scientists are so worried.
The good news is that there are still things that we can do, if we will muster up the courage to do them. This is the message of Peter and Paul, and it is also the message of Pope Francis. This is especially the case with respect to the environment. Instead of standing by and watching the devastation of our environment, we should take steps to stop it. That means spending less money on fossil fuels, and if necessary, using alternative energies. This would be a courageous act, and many would, no doubt, disagree with it. But it would also be a necessary action.
Dr. Jeffrey K. Gurock is Professor of Theology,USA