Highway to Fossil Fuel Hell

 

God of blessings, 

the universe sings of your glory. 
Deepen our gratitude for all you have made 
and awaken in us a renewed commitment 
to care for the earth andeach other. 

Inspire world leaders at COP28, 
with openness to listen to those most affected by climate change 
and with courage to act urgently and wisely, 
so that our common home may be healed and restored  
and all people, and generations to come, may delight in it. 

Amen.  

The Climate Summit known as COP28 begins today in Dubai. A few days ago I wrote about Pope Francis attending this event and that it was a big deal to have the leader of a billion of Planet Earth's Christians making his presence felt in this setting where representatives from around the world come together to address the climate emergency. I did note that it was jarring COP28 was taking place in a nation where the economy is so heavily dependent on fossil fuels and that the president of the gathering  would be the Dr. Sultan Al Jabar oil minister of the United Arab Emirates.

Unfortunately Pope Francis is ill and has been advised not to attend. Since I wrote we've heard that Sultan Al Jabar has already been working on side deals with a number of fossil fuel producing nations, which is slick and slimy, if you'll excuse the metaphor. There will also be more lobbyists from fossil fuel corporations than ever before. Among them will be representatives from Pathways Alliance a consortium of oil and gas companies claiming to be working toward "net zero" or carbon neutrality. 

You won't be able to find independent environmental groups that are at all convinced by these efforts, especially when so many companies are increasing oil and gas production. This seems to be yet another form of green-washing and we should be dismayed by the lobbying and behind-the-scenes deal-making.

Pathway to what, we need to ask. To me it sounds more like the Highway to Hell, fossil fuel cover.

Above is a prayer from the Roman Catholic Church for COP28 which we might offer throughout the summit as an antidote to the oil slick. We can also pray that Pope Francis recovers from his illness and continues to be a strong voice for Creation. 

Oh yes, God bless the political cartoonists!