His dictum misreads science and will doom billions to perpetual poverty

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan—These are challenging times for some faithful Catholics, myself included. Because, while I have utmost respect and love for our popular, approachable, Argentine Pontiff, I believe he has been sadly misinformed about climate change, as evidenced in his Encyclical: Laudato Si.

Pope Francis is not a scientist; I do not blame him for the inaccuracies, but rather the Pontifical Academy of Sciences: the office that is responsible for advising the Pope on scientific issues. On page 29:61 of Laudato Si, we read: “On many concrete questions, the Church has no reason to offer a definitive opinion; she knows that honest debate must be encouraged among experts, while respecting divergent views.” In stark contrast, only one scientist who does not accept the theory that climate change is caused by human activity was accepted to attend the Vatican seminar on climate change. Unfortunately, French scientist Philippe de Larminat’s inclusion was, at the last minute, vetoed. So much for honest debate and respect for divergent views! I am not a scientist, but I have studied and written about global warming for many years. I am what Warmists now label: a “denier,” because I am skeptical of the doomsday predictions made by extremists, such as those advising the Pope. The computer models used by these climate scientists have long been predicting significant warming. But for the past 18 years, actual satellite data shows no evidence of warming. Science is not based on a consensus. It is based on empirical evidence. If a scientific theory does not match the evidence, then the theory must be abandoned or reconstructed. In other words, the models are wrong and provide no rational basis for any climate policy.

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When asked by CNS News to comment on this satellite data, Dr. John Christy, professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center, said:  “That's basically a fact.  There’s not much to comment on.”  He added that basing government policy affecting millions on “very poor” climate models proven to be inaccurate is “a fool’s errand.” Claiming: “the science is settled,” climate change alarmists demand urgent action to protect the planet from catastrophe.  These actions include costly efforts to reduce carbon emissions by restricting, taxing and regulating fossil fuel use. President Obama’s new EPA regulations, intended to combat global warming, will do little, at great expense to Americans.  The EPA admits the end result will be “One one-hundredth of a degree.”   Where was the cost-benefit analysis? In an open letter to Pope Francis, a group of 90 prominent scientists, religious leaders and academics explain how substituting intermittent energy sources, like wind and solar, for constant energy sources, like fossil fuels, would be catastrophic to the world’s poor. Wherever implemented by government regulation, such energy sources have proven to be unreliable and unsustainable without government subsidies—and that means taxation and higher energy costs for all. The open letter goes on to say: “The poorest 1.3 billion in developing countries depend on wood and dried dung for cooking and heating fuels, smoke from which kills 4 million and debilitates millions every year.  Affordable, reliable energy, such as fossil fuels, could help lift these people out of poverty, as it has lifted countless others.” In an annual message for World Peace Day, Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, said the world needed to care for the environment, but not to the extent where the welfare of plants and animals was given a greater priority than mankind.   Neither Pope, in addressing environmental issues, was speaking ex cathedra, that is, neither was making an infallible pronouncement.  So, as faithful Catholics, we are free to disagree on climate change.   Remember, when it comes to science, the Church does not have the best track record.  Turns out, Galileo was right.  The Earth does revolve around the Sun.