Policy Briefing Paper: Canada Falls Far Short of Pope Francis’ Call for Ecological Justice

Kairos
By John Dillon, Ecological Economy Program Coordinator
August 04, 2015

Laudato Si (Praise Be), On Care for our Common Home, has been the most anticipated and commented upon papal encyclical in history. Writing in his straightforward style, Pope Francis addresses climate change in the context of a globalized economy that is threatening the Earth’s capacity to sustain life while creating « tragic effects of environmental degradation in the lives of the world’s poorest. »Leaders from many other faiths have endorsed the Pope’s urgent call for action on climate change.

This Briefing Paper will assess Canadian policies in light of Pope Francis’ call for ecological justice. Later this year (November 30-December 11, 2015), France will host the 21st conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Countries were asked to submit their emission reduction plans to the UN secretariat prior to the meeting. Both the International Energy Agency and independent climate research organizations consider these climate action plans insufficient to meet the official target of keeping temperature increases below two degrees Celsius relative to preindustrial levels.

In assessing responsibility for the failure of international negotiations on climate change to make significant progress, the Pope singles out “the positions taken by countries which place their national interests above the global common good.”

In the analysis that follows we shall see how Canada is a prime example of a country that is putting short-term economic interests above what is needed to achieve a livable future for all who dwell on Earth, our common home.

Full Policy Briefing available for download below or at www.kairoscanada.org