Pope Francis’ recent encyclical (papal letter) on the environment, Laudato Si’, caused a stir among conservative Catholics—but Marco Rubio, a member of the Catholic faith, is unperturbed.
In the letter, Pope Francis takes a somewhat apocalyptic stance on climate change and the global economy, saying that “Doomsday predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth.”
To the evident shock of the Huffington Post, Rubio told reporters Saturday, “I have no problem with what the pope did. He is a moral authority and as a moral authority is reminding us of our obligation to be good caretakers of the planet.”
Although Rubio has expressed skepticism about man-made climate change in the past, he said, “I’m a political leader and my job as a policymaker is to act in the common good. And I do believe it’s in the common good to protect our environment.”
Rubio said he found it “ironic that a lot of the same liberals who are touting the encyclical on climate change ignore multiple pronouncements of this pope on the definition of marriage and the sanctity of life.”
”I also believe it’s in the common good to protect our economy,” he added. “There are people all over this planet and in this country who have emerged from poverty in large respect because of the availability of affordable energy.”
“It creates industries. It makes the cost of living lower. And we have to take that into account as well.”
Rubio didn’t speculate on the potential causes of climate change, saying it doesn’t matter “whether I believe humans have contributed 10 percent, 50 percent or 90 percent.” Instead, he said, the focus should be on “what can we do about it and what impact will it have on the rest of our country and the rest of our lives.”
Catholics tend to be divided on exactly what doctrinal weight enclyical letters carry, particularly when they stray into matters of scientific fact and public policy.
Although Laudato Si’ makes sure to state that “the Church does not presume to settle scientific questions or to replace politics,” Francis makes a number of politically-charged statements—declaring that “technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels – especially coal, but also oil and, to a lesser degree, gas – needs to be progressively replaced without delay.” He also renounces the “pressure” put on indigenous communities “to abandon their homelands to make room for agricultural or mining projects which are undertaken without regard for the degradation of nature and culture,” and even condemns “the increasing use and power of air-conditioning.”
