Pope supports renewable energy

Respect the Earth and its resources, reduce pollution, focus on renewable energy. It is a revolutionary encyclical that has just been produced by Pope Francis entitled “Laudato si” and has been dubbed “The Green Encyclical.” Even the creator of Slow Food, Carlin Petrini, has called it ahead of any document on the environment produced so far.

Inspiring Bergoglio are the words of St. Francis, “Laudato sie, mi’ Signore, spetialmente messor lo frate sole,” and from this encyclical is a very strong push toward the use of renewable sources that harness the sun’s energy: “It has become urgent and pressing,” the Pope writes, “to develop policies so that in the coming years the emission of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases will be drastically reduced, for example, by substituting fossil fuels and developing renewable energy sources. There is a low level of access to clean and renewable energy in the world. There is still a need to develop appropriate storage technologies.”

But throughout the encyclical there are passages about the relationship with the planet that should be more respectful and balanced including using systems that allow for less and better consumption, including more sustainable agriculture.

Photo: “Su Santidad Papa Francisco” by Gabriel Andrés Trujillo Escobedo – Flickr: Su Santidad Papa Francisco. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Su_Santidad_Papa_Francisco.jpg#/media/File:Su_Santidad_Papa_Francisco.jpg