The Vatican has invited social activist Naomi Klein to help lead a high level conference on the environment later this week.
Ms Klein, who campaigns for an overhaul of the global financial system to tackle climate change, will take centre stage at the conference alongside Cardinal Peter Turkson.
The cardinal is president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which issued the invitation to Ms Klein.
The conference will focus on Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ and its implications for work against climate change and towards just economies and lifestyles.
Delegates will also look ahead to two major international climate change meetings in New York and Paris.
Ms Klein, the author of “This changes everything: Capitalism Vs the Climate”, expressed surprise and delight at receiving the Vatican invitation.
“The fact that they invited me indicates they’re not backing down from the fight,” she said.
“A lot of people have patted the Pope on the head, but said he’s wrong on the economics.
“I think he’s right on the economics,” she said.
Critics have argued the Catholic Church should not be involved in an issue that should be left to presidents and policy-makers.
But Ms Klein said the Pope’s position as a “moral voice” in the world – and leader of 1.2 billion Catholics – gives him the unique ability to unite campaigners fighting for a common goal.
“The holistic view of the encyclical should be a catalyst to bring together the twin economic and climate crises, instead of treating them separately,” she said.
Ms Klein will join Cardinal Turkson and the co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Professor Ottmar Edenhofer, at a press conference on July 1.
On Sunday, an estimated 5000 people, including faith leaders, scientists and environmental campaigners, marched to St Peter’s Square to support Laudato Si’ and urge world leaders to take action.
There, Francis encouraged a multi-faith effort to help protect the environment.
“I encourage the collaboration between persons and associations of different religions on behalf of an integral ecology,” he said.
Sources
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News category: World.
