Pope Francis has made a number of unexpected moves in his tenure, the most recent being an upcoming encyclical that's expected to be about climate change. Though the encyclical isn't due out for some months, the Pope will be hosting a summittoday called: "Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity. The Moral Dimensions of Climate Change and Sustainable Development." The event will convene leaders such as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Jeffery Sachs.
While most are welcoming this "Growing Movement for Climate Justice," deniers are predictably scrambling for cover. This means that not only are they pushing out the usual drivel saying climate change is 'no big deal' and 'the policies to fix it are worse,' but they're also saying the moral thing to do is help the poor get more fossil fuels. For example, the Cornwall Alliance has sent Pope Francis an open letter on the issue, rife with the usual denier talking points.
What's more, the Guardianhas a piece reporting on how the discredited Heartland Institute sent folks to Rome to lobby the Pope. Heartland held a press conference (covered by DeSmog) during which Monckton charged that the Pope making a statement on climate "will be kicking the poor in the teeth."
At Breitbart, Delingpole deploys his usual humility and grace, starting his piece with a title that includes "Manbearpig," and ending it saying the Guardian's coverage of Heartland's trip, "should ensure a lively turn out of reporters." Considering that it looks like all of abouta dozenpeople showed up, Heartland should certainly thank the Guardian for the publicity.
-----
Top Climate and Clean Energy Stories:
Vatican climate change summit to highlight moral duty for action. Francis has already said that he believes global warming is mostly man-made and that a Christian who does not protect God’s creation “is a Christian who does not care about the work of God”.
National Parks’ place in president’s climate legacy. Our legacy for national parks cannot be Glacier National Park without glaciers, or Everglades National Park swallowed by rising seas.
75% of Heat Waves Are Attributable to Climate Change. “What used to be a one-in-a-thousand day, a one-in-three-year event, actually occurs four times in three years,” Erich Fischer, a researcher at the Institute for Atmospheric & Climate Science in Zurich and one of the study’s authors, said