National Catholic Reporter: We Need Laudato Si’ because No Real Solutions are Coming from the World Economic Forum  

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international organization that hosts an annual meeting of business, political, and religious leaders, academics, celebrities, and other prominent figures in Davos, Switzerland. From January 16 to January 20, 2023, the World Economic Forum was held. This international conference covered a wide range of global issues, including the climate crisis.

Apparently, solving the climate crisis has become a more complex and multifaceted challenge than some had expected. Progress has not been made because the WEF’s proposed solutions call for both economic and political ones, as well as a great deal of coordination between nations and industries. This challenge has been met with resistance because the proposed changes often affect the economies and the way of life for people, which can slow down the progress of the climate agenda.

These points were brought out by the National Catholic Reporter in an article titled, “No real solutions coming from World Economic Forum in Davos.” [1] The National Catholic Reporter said that there is a dark side to the World Economic Forum because it is “self-selecting and largely represents the voices of the super-rich.” Many people who attend are not elected and come from the extreme left. Additionally, the article claims that the people who are most affected by the so-called climate crisis are the poor, and their voice is “largely absent” and underrepresented by the WEF.

The WEF is seen as a platform for the global elite to make deals and shape policy without the input of the general public. It is often criticized for its membership, which is composed mostly of business leaders, politicians, and other elite figures. This can give the impression that other groups and sectors are not adequately represented, which can in turn cause the general public to feel excluded and mistrustful.

Greta Thunberg, a Swedish climate activist, was subsequently quoted by The National Catholic Reporter and explained the problem with the WEF in the following manner:

“We are right now in Davos where basically the people who are mostly fueling the destruction of the planet, the people who are at the very core of the climate crisis, the people who are investing in fossil fuels etcetera, etcetera and yet somehow these are the people that we seem to rely on solving our problems.” [1]

The National Catholic Reporter concluded by pointing out that the Vatican’s proposals for dealing with the climate crisis, especially Laudato Si’, are far superior to those offered by the WEF:

“Pope Francis is clear that we need global solutions — he called, after all, for ‘one world with a common plan in Laudato Si’,’ Anthony Annett, author of Cathonomics: How Catholic Tradition Can Create a More Just Economy, said in an interview. ‘But he’s also deeply suspicious of globalization — in Fratelli Tutti, he noted that: ‘Opening up to the world’ is an expression that has been co-opted by the economic and financial sector. It seems unlikely that the corporate titans gathering at Davos are making this distinction’.” [1]

“I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence cometh my help? asks the psalmist. Davos may be in the mountains, but there does not appear to be much help coming from there.” [1]

According to the National Catholic Reporter, Laudato Si’ is much more important because Pope Francis addresses the moral and ethical dimensions of the environmental crisis, not just the political and economic ones. Pope Francis is the head of the Roman Catholic Church and is committed to advancing the doctrines of the church. In his climate encyclical, Pope Francis addresses a wide range of religious, social, political, and economic issues. Some of his statements are controversial because they suggest that he is working to establish a global governing structure based on Catholic principles, which include Sunday rest:

“On Sunday, our participation in the Eucharist has special importance. Sunday, like the Jewish Sabbath, is meant to be a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others and with the world. Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, the “first day” of the new creation, whose first fruits are the Lord’s risen humanity, the pledge of the final transfiguration of all created reality. It also proclaims “man’s eternal rest in God” (Laudato Si’ #237).

“To manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater imbalances that would result; to bring about integral and timely disarmament, food security and peace; to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration: for all this, there is urgent need of a true world political authority” (Laudato Si’ #175).

Laudato Si’ also highlights the value of global cooperation and dialogue on the climate emergency by advancing the common good, which are values that are held in common by most people. This is the first papal encyclical that discusses climate change and urges a coordinated, global response to it. In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis stresses the interconnectedness of all things and urges citizens, groups, and governments to take action and support efforts to achieve sustainable development through legal enactments:

“Because the enforcement of laws is at times inadequate due to corruption, public pressure has to be exerted in order to bring about decisive political action. Society, through non-governmental organizations and intermediate groups, must put pressure on governments to develop more rigorous regulations, procedures and controls. Unless citizens control political power – national, regional and municipal – it will not be possible to control damage to the environment. Local legislation can be more effective, too, if agreements exist between neighbouring communities to support the same environmental policies” (Laudato Si’ #179).

There are several reasons why some people may be skeptical not only of the WEF, but also of Rome’s solutions to the climate crisis. Power and influence are at the center of global governance. The coming world political authority will have enormous power and influence over global political decisions. The lack of transparency also makes it difficult to understand the true goals and intentions of this movement. However, prophecy tells us exactly what the final objectives will be:

“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Revelation 13:15-17.

According to prophecy, a global political and religious authority will be established to advance a particular set of ideologies that will force people to worship Rome rather than granting them what is best for them, namely religious liberty. There will be a global platform in these final days to impose laws on nations. The current system of nation-states will be replaced by this global governance, which will result in the loss of freedom, particularly our right to worship God in accordance with our conscience.

“Brethren and sisters, would that I might say something to awaken you to the importance of this time, the significance of the events that are now taking place. I point you to the aggressive movements now being made for the restriction of religious liberty. God’s sanctified memorial has been torn down, and in its place a false sabbath, bearing no sanctity, stands before the world. And while the powers of darkness are stirring up the elements from beneath, the Lord God of heaven is sending power from above to meet the emergency by arousing His living agencies to exalt the law of heaven. Now, just now, is our time to work in foreign countries” (Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 18).

Sources

[1] https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/ncr-voices/no-real-solutions-coming-world-economic-forum-davos