WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.359 Today, our thoughts are certainly with many around 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:05.599 the globe reflecting on the passing of Pope Francis. 00:00:06.040 --> 00:00:08.679 It really is a significant moment. It truly is 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:12.300 the end of an important era. And while the immediate 00:00:12.300 --> 00:00:14.519 focus is naturally on his life and his service 00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:16.839 here in the Meteorology Matters podcast, we wanted 00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:19.280 to delve into something quite groundbreaking 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:22.359 about his papacy. You mean his role concerning 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:24.980 climate change. Exactly. His pioneering role, 00:00:25.179 --> 00:00:27.679 really, in bringing the urgency of climate change 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:30.719 right to the forefront of, well, global consciousness. 00:00:31.059 --> 00:00:33.619 It absolutely wasn't just a side issue for him, 00:00:33.740 --> 00:00:36.289 was it? Pope Francis fundamentally shifted how 00:00:36.289 --> 00:00:38.329 we talk about our planet's future. He didn't 00:00:38.329 --> 00:00:42.090 just suggest, he insisted that caring for our 00:00:42.090 --> 00:00:45.189 environment is an ethical issue, a moral imperative. 00:00:45.390 --> 00:00:48.229 Yes, a moral one. And that influence, it rippled 00:00:48.229 --> 00:00:50.729 out far beyond just religious communities, didn't 00:00:50.729 --> 00:00:52.869 it? It sparked really vital conversations everywhere. 00:00:52.890 --> 00:00:54.789 It really did across all sorts of sectors in 00:00:54.789 --> 00:00:58.399 society. You know, speaking of impact, the real 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:01.299 cornerstone, I think, has to be his encyclical, 00:01:01.479 --> 00:01:04.760 Laudato Si. Oh, absolutely. Laudato Si, or praise 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:08.359 be to you. Praise be to you. Even the title feels 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:10.200 deliberate, doesn't it? It's a certain tone. 00:01:10.500 --> 00:01:12.799 It does. It's a direct link, isn't it, to Saint 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:16.359 Francis of Assisi, his famous canticle about 00:01:16.359 --> 00:01:19.819 creation, about our sister Mother Earth. Right. 00:01:19.859 --> 00:01:22.040 So from the very beginning, there's this sense 00:01:22.040 --> 00:01:26.379 of kinship. of connection and responsibility. 00:01:26.819 --> 00:01:29.239 Precisely. And the encyclical itself doesn't 00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:31.560 mince words about how we've treated this sister. 00:01:31.780 --> 00:01:33.560 No, it certainly doesn't. It talks about the 00:01:33.560 --> 00:01:35.799 harm we've inflicted through, I think the phrase 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:38.500 is, irresponsible use and abuse of the Earth's 00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:41.319 gifts. Yeah, a powerful critique of that mindset 00:01:41.319 --> 00:01:43.920 where humans act like, you know, absolute masters. 00:01:44.250 --> 00:01:46.950 entitled to just plunder the planet without thinking 00:01:46.950 --> 00:01:48.989 of the consequences. And what I found really 00:01:48.989 --> 00:01:51.549 striking is how Lodato Sea connects that outward 00:01:51.549 --> 00:01:53.950 destruction, the environmental damage, to something 00:01:53.950 --> 00:01:56.409 deeper. You mean the internal state, the violence 00:01:56.409 --> 00:01:58.750 present in our hearts, wounded by sin, as it 00:01:58.750 --> 00:02:01.769 puts it. Exactly that. It argues that this sort 00:02:01.769 --> 00:02:05.590 of internal brokenness manifests externally in 00:02:05.590 --> 00:02:07.629 the sickness we see in the soil, the water, the 00:02:07.629 --> 00:02:10.530 air, the threats to life. It's a really compelling 00:02:10.530 --> 00:02:14.020 link. It suggests our ecological problems are 00:02:14.020 --> 00:02:17.199 symptoms of a deeper spiritual or ethical problem, 00:02:17.740 --> 00:02:20.139 a sickness within humanity reflecting onto the 00:02:20.139 --> 00:02:23.159 planet. And this message, it wasn't just directed 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:25.240 inwardly, was it? He made it clear who he was 00:02:25.240 --> 00:02:28.080 speaking to. No, absolutely not. He explicitly 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:31.000 addresses it to every person living on this planet. 00:02:31.159 --> 00:02:34.039 It's framed as a universal concern. Which feels 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:36.840 quite significant. It kind of echoes maybe Pope 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:39.860 St. John to Titty III addressing the world during 00:02:39.860 --> 00:02:42.939 the nuclear crisis, positioning environmental 00:02:42.939 --> 00:02:45.240 decline as a shared global threat. That's a key 00:02:45.240 --> 00:02:48.099 point. Laudato Si was an invitation to a global 00:02:48.099 --> 00:02:51.139 dialogue, breaking down barriers. And fundamental 00:02:51.139 --> 00:02:53.620 to its whole argument is this tight link between 00:02:53.620 --> 00:02:55.960 the environment and society. The idea that you 00:02:55.960 --> 00:02:58.599 can't separate them. You really can't. The encyclical 00:02:58.599 --> 00:03:01.340 insists that a truly ecological approach has 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:03.520 to be a social approach, too. It says we need 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:05.680 to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:08.280 of the poor. Because they're interconnected crises. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:10.599 Deeply intertwined. You can't solve one without 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:13.280 addressing the other. Which leads us nicely to 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:16.139 this central concept in Laudato Si, this idea 00:03:16.139 --> 00:03:19.099 of interal ecology. Can you unpack that a bit 00:03:19.099 --> 00:03:21.699 for us? It seems really foundational. It really 00:03:21.699 --> 00:03:24.360 is. Integral ecology, as Pope Francis lays it 00:03:24.360 --> 00:03:26.900 out, is basically about seeing the whole picture, 00:03:27.379 --> 00:03:30.680 recognizing this incredibly complex web of connections. 00:03:30.840 --> 00:03:33.120 So it's not just about, say, carbon emissions 00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:35.819 in isolation. Exactly. It's not just isolated 00:03:35.819 --> 00:03:39.180 environmental statistics. It stresses the profound 00:03:39.180 --> 00:03:42.180 human and social dimensions that are always involved. 00:03:42.699 --> 00:03:45.319 Environmental problems, it argues, are inseparable 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:49.479 from human life, family life, work, our cities. 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:52.520 the whole context. Everything's connected. Everything 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:54.259 is connected. That's the mantra, really. We need 00:03:54.259 --> 00:03:56.300 to understand things systemically. And you see 00:03:56.300 --> 00:03:59.180 this interconnectedness laid out when the encyclical 00:03:59.180 --> 00:04:01.740 examines specific issues like pollution, right? 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:04.599 Yes, absolutely. Laudato Siis goes into detail 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:07.639 analyzing pollution waste, climate change, water 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:10.900 issues, the devastating loss of biodiversity. 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:13.159 And it links these directly to something specific. 00:04:13.460 --> 00:04:15.979 To what it calls the throwaway culture and these 00:04:15.979 --> 00:04:18.560 underlying unsustainable models of production 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:20.980 and consumption that drive it. It's a critique 00:04:20.980 --> 00:04:23.579 of the whole system, not just the symptoms. Okay, 00:04:23.699 --> 00:04:25.639 let's zero in on one of those major symptoms. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:30.240 Climate change. How does low .oc approach that 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:32.959 specifically? Well, it's very direct. It states 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:36.420 clearly that the climate is a common good, belonging 00:04:36.420 --> 00:04:38.980 to all and meant for all. A common good. I like 00:04:38.980 --> 00:04:41.829 that framing. It is powerful, and it fully accepts 00:04:41.829 --> 00:04:44.850 the scientific consensus on global warming. It 00:04:44.850 --> 00:04:47.329 points to human activity mainly burning fossil 00:04:47.329 --> 00:04:50.910 fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, and also deforestation 00:04:50.910 --> 00:04:54.399 as the primary drivers. No ambiguity there. And 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:56.980 beyond just stating the science, it really digs 00:04:56.980 --> 00:04:59.220 into the ethics, the responsibilities that come 00:04:59.220 --> 00:05:02.240 with that knowledge. Precisely. Laudato si highlights 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:05.079 the deep injustice of climate change, how its 00:05:05.079 --> 00:05:07.160 impacts fall disproportionately on developing 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:09.500 countries, on the poorest communities. The ones 00:05:09.500 --> 00:05:11.399 who contributed least to the problem, but suffer 00:05:11.399 --> 00:05:13.459 the most. Exactly. They're the most vulnerable, 00:05:13.620 --> 00:05:15.860 the least equipped to adapt. It underscores a 00:05:15.860 --> 00:05:18.279 fundamental unfairness at the heart of the crisis. 00:05:18.740 --> 00:05:21.519 So. Faced with this scientific reality and this 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:25.199 ethical injustice, what does the encyclical propose? 00:05:25.300 --> 00:05:27.399 Does it call for action? Oh, definitely. It's 00:05:27.399 --> 00:05:29.959 not just diagnosis. It's a call to action. It 00:05:29.959 --> 00:05:34.660 calls for policies to drastically cut polluting 00:05:34.660 --> 00:05:37.699 gas emissions and to make a decisive shift towards 00:05:37.699 --> 00:05:40.019 renewable energy. But it also acknowledges the 00:05:40.019 --> 00:05:42.279 challenges, right? It's not naive about the politics 00:05:42.279 --> 00:05:44.899 involved. Not at all. It's quite realistic, acknowledging 00:05:44.899 --> 00:05:48.759 the, well... the often slow progress, the political 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:51.459 roadblocks, the power of vested economic interests 00:05:51.459 --> 00:05:54.259 that resist change. It presents the goal clearly, 00:05:54.259 --> 00:05:56.819 but understands the fight involved. Now, beneath 00:05:56.819 --> 00:05:59.259 the science and the policy, Laudato sees seems 00:05:59.259 --> 00:06:01.459 to build its case on some really deep theological 00:06:01.459 --> 00:06:04.399 and ethical foundations for caring for creation. 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:06.139 That's right. And this is where it offers a really 00:06:06.139 --> 00:06:08.480 unique and for many a very compelling perspective. 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:11.819 It goes back to biblical sources. The idea in 00:06:11.819 --> 00:06:14.300 Genesis that humanity's role isn't domination, 00:06:14.899 --> 00:06:17.600 but to till and keep the garden. To cultivate 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:21.199 and protect, not to exploit. Exactly. To be stewards, 00:06:21.399 --> 00:06:24.639 not overlords. It emphasizes that every creature 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:27.660 has inherent value in God's eyes, not just value 00:06:27.660 --> 00:06:30.399 based on how useful it is to humans. So it's 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.019 pushing back against a purely human -centered 00:06:33.019 --> 00:06:35.300 view of the world. Very much so. It critiques 00:06:35.300 --> 00:06:37.939 what it calls a distorted antipocentrism, putting 00:06:37.939 --> 00:06:40.560 human desires above absolutely everything else. 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:43.980 Instead, it promotes this wider view, recognizing 00:06:43.980 --> 00:06:46.620 our place within the intricate web of life, the 00:06:46.620 --> 00:06:49.800 intrinsic worth of all creation. We're part of 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:52.240 it, not lords over it. And that understanding 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:54.759 of our place, that connects to the idea of the 00:06:54.759 --> 00:06:57.139 common destination of goods, doesn't it? It does, 00:06:57.319 --> 00:06:59.740 directly. Laudato Siis strongly asserts that 00:06:59.740 --> 00:07:02.319 the Earth and its resources are a shared inheritance. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:05.060 They're meant for everyone's benefit, not just 00:07:05.060 --> 00:07:07.899 a few. Which is a direct challenge, too. To excessive 00:07:07.899 --> 00:07:10.199 consumption, especially in wealthier parts of 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:13.199 the world. It calls for a sense of global solidarity 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:15.500 and a just sharing of the planet's resources. 00:07:15.720 --> 00:07:18.379 The encyclical also tackles the role of technology, 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:20.779 which is obviously huge in our modern relationship 00:07:20.779 --> 00:07:23.180 with nature. Yes, it engages with technology 00:07:23.180 --> 00:07:25.670 quite thoughtfully. It acknowledges the immense 00:07:25.670 --> 00:07:27.629 benefits, of course, the progress it enables. 00:07:27.949 --> 00:07:30.589 But there's a warning too. There is. A significant 00:07:30.589 --> 00:07:32.550 caution about what it calls the technocratic 00:07:32.550 --> 00:07:35.689 paradigm. This is the danger of a mindset that 00:07:35.689 --> 00:07:39.009 prioritizes efficiency, power, and profit above 00:07:39.009 --> 00:07:42.649 all else. Above ethical concerns, above the well 00:07:42.649 --> 00:07:45.629 -being of people and the planet itself, it urges 00:07:45.629 --> 00:07:48.930 discernment in how we use technology. So when 00:07:48.930 --> 00:07:51.819 you pull all these threads together, The critique, 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:54.620 the ethics, the science. What's the ultimate 00:07:54.620 --> 00:07:57.339 change Laudato Siis is calling for? What's the 00:07:57.339 --> 00:07:59.319 goal? The ultimate goal seems to be what it calls 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:02.100 an ecological conversion. Ecological conversion, 00:08:02.259 --> 00:08:04.459 what does that entail? It's described as a profound 00:08:04.459 --> 00:08:07.000 shift. A change of heart, a change of mind, leading 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:09.759 to genuinely new habits, new ways of living. 00:08:10.259 --> 00:08:14.339 It's about developing attitudes of... gratitude, 00:08:14.620 --> 00:08:17.139 of gratuitousness, giving freely without expecting 00:08:17.139 --> 00:08:19.699 return, and fostering this deep sense of universal 00:08:19.699 --> 00:08:22.060 communion, feeling connected to all creatures. 00:08:22.339 --> 00:08:24.920 So reevaluating our core values and priorities. 00:08:25.379 --> 00:08:27.699 Absolutely. A fundamental reorientation. And 00:08:27.699 --> 00:08:29.819 this conversion, it's not just an individual 00:08:29.819 --> 00:08:32.039 thing, is it? It has to happen on a larger scale, 00:08:32.259 --> 00:08:35.460 too. Definitely. Laudato Siis emphasizes the 00:08:35.460 --> 00:08:38.519 crucial role of education in fostering this change. 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:41.379 And it stresses that we need transformation at 00:08:41.379 --> 00:08:43.639 both the individual level and within our communities 00:08:43.639 --> 00:08:46.919 or societies. It seems very comprehensive. Does 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:49.980 it touch on other aspects like our emotional 00:08:49.980 --> 00:08:53.370 or spiritual lives? It does. It even brings in 00:08:53.370 --> 00:08:56.750 the importance of joy and peace, the value of 00:08:56.750 --> 00:08:59.409 civic and political love engaging in society 00:08:59.409 --> 00:09:02.629 out of care, and explores the spiritual dimensions, 00:09:02.830 --> 00:09:05.070 connecting ecological concern to things like 00:09:05.070 --> 00:09:06.929 the Eucharist and the concept of the Trinity. 00:09:07.149 --> 00:09:08.809 It really tries to weave it all together into 00:09:08.809 --> 00:09:12.350 this integral vision. Wow. So stepping back and 00:09:12.350 --> 00:09:15.210 reflecting on Pope Francis' time, it's just incredibly 00:09:15.210 --> 00:09:18.389 clear how profoundly Laudorasi shaped the global 00:09:18.389 --> 00:09:20.730 climate conversation. It really is undeniable. 00:09:20.750 --> 00:09:23.370 he didn't just add to the conversation, he reframed 00:09:23.370 --> 00:09:25.429 it. He insisted it wasn't just environmental 00:09:25.429 --> 00:09:27.450 or economic or political, though it's all those 00:09:27.450 --> 00:09:29.409 things, but that it was fundamentally a moral 00:09:29.409 --> 00:09:32.450 imperative. Compelling us to act and to rethink 00:09:32.450 --> 00:09:35.549 our entire relationship with the planet. Exactly. 00:09:35.870 --> 00:09:38.169 His work has left a truly lasting mark, providing 00:09:38.169 --> 00:09:41.200 this powerful ethical framework. And if you want 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:43.720 to keep exploring these kinds of crucial, environmental 00:09:43.720 --> 00:09:46.840 topics, please do follow meteorologist Rob Jones. 00:09:47.460 --> 00:09:49.960 You can find him on Instagram, just search meteorologist. 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:52.919 Or on TikTok, look for TV meteorologist. And 00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:55.159 over on YouTube, search for Rob Jones hurricane. 00:09:55.529 --> 00:09:57.470 That's also where you'll find the Meteorology 00:09:57.470 --> 00:09:59.769 Matters podcast playlist with our other discussions. 00:10:00.090 --> 00:10:02.610 As you think about Pope Francis's legacy, we 00:10:02.610 --> 00:10:05.470 really hope you'll reflect on that central message 00:10:05.470 --> 00:10:09.289 from Laudato Si, the deep, unbreakable connection 00:10:09.289 --> 00:10:11.950 between the health of our planet and the well 00:10:11.950 --> 00:10:14.809 -being of every single person. It's such a powerful 00:10:14.809 --> 00:10:17.889 idea. And his work, it really does offer a solid 00:10:17.889 --> 00:10:20.389 foundation, doesn't it? For the ongoing discussions. 00:10:20.620 --> 00:10:23.659 And more importantly, the actions that are so 00:10:23.659 --> 00:10:26.340 desperately needed as we face these climate challenges. 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:28.460 Absolutely. It provides so much food for thought. 00:10:28.779 --> 00:10:31.500 And perhaps it leaves us and leaves you, the 00:10:31.500 --> 00:10:34.240 listener, with a really vital question to ponder. 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:37.440 How will this pioneering vision, Pope Francis's 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:40.240 vision of integral ecology and moral responsibility, 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:42.899 continue to shape how we treat our shared home, 00:10:43.100 --> 00:10:45.019 our planet, in the crucial years to come?