Science, Religion, and Climate Change

Abstract

A moment of agreement has arrived for scientists to join forces with religious groups on issues of climate change. This is signaled by the summary for policy-makers from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s Fourth Assessment Report, the AAAS Board's consensus statement on climate change, and the unanimity of scientists ([1][1]). Lynn White Jr. proposed in these pages in 1967 that ([2][2]) “we shall continue to have a worsening ecologic [sic] crisis until we reject the Christian axiom that nature has no reason for existence save to serve man.” In their Policy Forum “Framing science” (6 Apr., p. [56][3]), M. C. Nisbet and C. Mooney mention the more contemporary and less divisive efforts of some evangelical leaders to frame “the problem of climate change as a matter of religious morality.” As faculty members at a Catholic university, we know the strong stance of Catholic documents on good science as the foundation for discussions of climate change. Two recent examples from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) make IPCC findings their scientific basis. The IPCC Third Assessment Report led to the USCCB's Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and the Common Good ([3][4]), which states: “Global climate change is by its very nature part of the planetary commons. The earth's atmosphere encompasses all people, creatures, and habitats.” The scientific Summary for Policy Makers of the Fourth Assessment Report ([4][5]) was addressed by the chairman of the USCCB's international policy committee. He said in a letter to congressional leaders that the IPCC “has outlined more clearly and compellingly than ever before the case for serious and urgent action to address the potential consequences of climate change as well as high-lighting the dangers and costs of inaction.” Additional reflections on climate change have come from numerous religious traditions. They are listening carefully to the science. Scientists ought to be in dialogue with them. 1. 1.[↵][6] 1. N. Oreskes , Science 306, 1686 (2004). [OpenUrl][7][Abstract/FREE Full Text][8] 2. 2.[↵][9] 1. L. White Jr. , Science 155, 1203 (1967). [OpenUrl][10][FREE Full Text][11] 3. 3.[↵][12] Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and The Common Good (United States Catholic Conference, Washington, DC, 2001) (available at [www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/globalclimate.htm][13]). 4. 4.[↵][14] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate Change 2007, Summary for Policymakers, Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) (available at ). [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1142030 [4]: #ref-3 [5]: #ref-4 [6]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1. in text [7]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScience%26rft.stitle%253DScience%26rft.issn%253D0036-8075%26rft.aulast%253DOreskes%26rft.auinit1%253DN.%26rft.volume%253D306%26rft.issue%253D5702%26rft.spage%253D1686%26rft.epage%253D1686%26rft.atitle%253DBEYOND%2BTHE%2BIVORY%2BTOWER%253A%2BThe%2BScientific%2BConsensus%2Bon%2BClimate%2BChange%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1126%252Fscience.1103618%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F15576594%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [8]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6Mzoic2NpIjtzOjU6InJlc2lkIjtzOjEzOiIzMDYvNTcwMi8xNjg2IjtzOjQ6ImF0b20iO3M6MjQ6Ii9zY2kvMzE2LzU4MjQvNTQwLjMuYXRvbSI7fXM6ODoiZnJhZ21lbnQiO3M6MDoiIjt9 [9]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2. in text [10]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScience%26rft.stitle%253DScience%26rft.issn%253D0036-8075%26rft.aulast%253DWhite%26rft.auinit1%253DL.%26rft.volume%253D155%26rft.issue%253D3767%26rft.spage%253D1203%26rft.epage%253D1207%26rft.atitle%253DThe%2BHistorical%2BRoots%2Bof%2BOur%2BEcologic%2BCrisis%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1126%252Fscience.155.3767.1203%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F17847526%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [11]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6MzoiUERGIjtzOjExOiJqb3VybmFsQ29kZSI7czozOiJzY2kiO3M6NToicmVzaWQiO3M6MTM6IjE1NS8zNzY3LzEyMDMiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyNDoiL3NjaS8zMTYvNTgyNC81NDAuMy5hdG9tIjt9czo4OiJmcmFnbWVudCI7czowOiIiO30= [12]: #xref-ref-3-1 View reference 3. in text [13]: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/globalclimate.htm [14]: #xref-ref-4-1 View reference 4. in text