Posted on 06/01/2018 7:34:13 AM PDT by ebb tide
Pope Francis is hosting a gathering next week at the Vatican with executives of major oil producers and investment firms to talk about how the companies can address climate change, according to several people familiar with the event.
Why it matters: It’s one of the most significant developments showing how corporations are working with other world leaders on climate change amid President Trump’s whole-scale retreat on the issue.
Situational awareness: One year ago today, Trump announced his intention to withdraw America from the Paris climate deal, which now has support from every country except the United States. Three years ago, Pope Francis wrote his encyclical — a papal letter sent to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church — on the importance of addressing climate change, a first in the church’s history.
Here’s a list of some of the participants in the private conference, with more expected:
Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, world’s largest asset manager. Bob Dudley, CEO of BP. Multiple sources said ExxonMobil would be represented, though a company spokesman couldn't confirm late Thursday. Eldar Sætre, CEO of Equinor, oil and energy producer partially owned by the Norwegian government (formerly Statoil). Ernest Moniz, former U.S. Energy Secretary under then-President Obama. Lord John Browne, former CEO of BP and current executive chairman of L1 Energy, an oil and gas investment firm.
The big picture: The Pope, BlackRock and big oil companies are increasingly focusing on climate change as cleaner sources of energy have become more competitive, the impacts of a warmer world have become more apparent, and public pressure to address the issue mounts. This meeting reflects this convergence.
The details: The focus of the gathering is similar to the encyclical (“On Care For Our Common Home”) with an emphasis on the energy transition of a “shared home,” according to people familiar with it. The event is occurring late next week, with two people saying the Pope is likely to talk Saturday.
The University of Notre Dame is helping convene it. Leo Burke, director of its business school’s climate investing initiative, declined to comment. “All along the way, we have said that any energy-related meeting involving the Vatican and Notre Dame would be a private dialogue among the attendees,” Burke told me by email.
Yes, but: While it’s a significant meeting, it’s still just a meeting. Deep political stalemate persists in the United States on the issue. Tensions are flaring over lawsuits alleging big oil companies are liable for climate change and some environmentalists say the industry’s greener moves aren’t big or fast enough. To what degree the Vatican gathering prompts change and new developments is a big question mark.
For the record:
BP spokesman Geoff Morrell said Dudley is “looking forward to the Vatican dialogue. He believes gatherings of this kind help develop a better understanding of the energy transition and the best ways for corporations, countries and wider society to participate in it.”
A spokesman for Moniz confirmed his attendance.
A BlackRock spokesperson declined to comment.
Spokespeople for Browne and Equinor didn’t return requests for comments.
Efforts to reach the Vatican by phone and email were unsuccessful.
I’d like to know how much money the Vatican is donating to Algore’s “climate change” scam. It’s time for the Vatican to start paying Algore for their massive “carbon footprint”.
The man is a publicity seeking disgrace to Christendom. A weasel in a mitre. I love my Church and to see Her so besmirched by this pope hits me right in the gut. The faith will survive but we will take many casualties because of his antics.
This “Pope” is mostly into social engineering. Saving souls is not on his agenda.
Yet another example of why all high offices should have term limits.
“Exclusive: Pope convenes Big Oil, investors to talk climate change”
even better, the Pope and everyone in the Vatican should cease use of all petroleum-based fuels and all products made with petroleum ...
Yep, glory to God, salvation of souls, Christ as Savior does not seem to be on the agenda anymore. Makes things for those of us down in the trenches that much tougher. St Joan of Arc, pray for us.
Carbon credits are the new ‘indulgences’.
Is Pope Che hoping to get some Climate Change shakedown money?
This Pope needs to be removed. What does OIL CEO’s and climate change have to do with the mass? Like the Dixie Chicks should “Shut up and just sing”....this imposter should “shut up and just pope!”
Ping.
“The man is a publicity seeking disgrace to Christendom. A weasel in a mitre. I love my Church and to see Her so besmirched by this pope hits me right in the gut. The faith will survive but we will take many casualties because of his antics.”
Well put. When I go to Confession, I almost always tell the priest that I have spoken badly of the Holy Father and then say “But given what he stands for, I really am not sorry for what I have said”.
There’s usually silence for a minute and then the priest asks me to pray for him anyway.
I wish no harm on him but I can’t pray for his success. I wish he’d go back to Argentina and stay silent.
Who knew that Bergoglio is a climate account scientist, besides being a theologian. Wow!
Actually, the College of Cardinals would be entirely happy to return to the kind of monastic life they believe strengthens the moral fiber of all men. If that means giving up polyester, perfectly all right with them. And beeswax or tallow candles are acceptable.
The Pope has become the world’s most prominent follower of the mythical and mystical power of the fictional General Ned Ludd, iconic leader of the resistance to the age of industrialization.
Yep. I’ve called the Green Indulgences for the Church of Gaia.
With them, one can be the biggest hypocrite imaginable like Al Gore or Leo DiCaprio or James Cameron and much of the rest of Hollywood yet still act self righteous and smug.
They ought to have the meeting in Hawaii and witness real climate change.
“help develop a better understanding of the energy transition”
When are these, so called, intellectuals going to get the idea of what oil production is? Oil, itself, doesn’t have anything to do with the crises of the environment. The burning of fossil fuels is he question.
So talking to oil producers won’t have a thing to do with it. And the expense in both transition and inability of the third world countries to change over with their lack of product, will cause a financial breakdown and start wars so many people will die and nothing will be gained.
In Washington state, where I live, they are going into the transition already whole hog. They have already started the installation of 9 public charging stations scattered throughout the state to the tune of $1.5M of fed and state funds and are not saying how long it will take to get them complete. In an article I read, and can’t find anymore, to convert to electric here fully will mean about 50 years. That is just in this state. The length is because 9 charging stations will not begin to cover what they are trying to sell so many more will be required to get the job done.
They claim these stations will need an allotted half hour to fully charge a vehicle and will cost about one third the cost of petroleum to fuel. A home unit requires an estimate up to 9 hours. These units will be self sufficient and will close a vast majority of gas filling stations throughout the state. The unemployment alone will be devastating.
Tack that on to the pulling of the tax incentive to buy the vehicle being removed, and that the cost at the moment of comparable petroleum burning vehicles in this area is almost half that of their electric counterparts, in my opinion the major plus for this changeover is generating tax dollars for the state and feds and not the hard sell of the environment. They are lying to you. And the media is in it hp deep.
rwood
And some idiots call Trump a Fascist This fake has let that title ‘holy father’ go to his ugly mug.
The climate change that a TRUE Pope would discuss with businessmen is the change that is in store for them, where in hell there is never a break from the uncomfortable heat, if they don’t repent of their sins, be baptized, and enter the one true Catholic Church and remain faithful to Jesus Christ to the end of their lives.
But Jorge Bergoglio is not a true Pope, as he cares not in the least for the salvation of men’s SOULS.
Step One: Tell his perverts buddies to stop drilling the children.
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