The Vatican's Pontifical Academy Reports: "Fate of Mountain Glaciers in the Anthropocene"

"Atmospheric chemist V. Ramanathan of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography -- a member of the Pontifical Academy since 2004 -- said he hopes the new report will have a lasting impact. His model is the papal academy's 1981 statement on nuclear war, which condemned the use of nuclear weapons.

'That was communicated to world leaders personally, in some cases by the pope,' Ramanathan said. 'Apparently it had a big impact on President Reagan.'

The scientist, who has spent decades studying climate change, said working under the auspices of the Vatican also offered a fresh perspective.

'I have never participated in any report in 30 years where the word 'God' is mentioned,' Ramanathan said. 'I think the Vatican brings that moral authority.'"---NYT (5-6-11)

Recently, I posted an article titled "Pontifical Academy of Sciences Hosts a Workshop on the Fate of Mountain Glaciers in the Anthropocene" (3-20-11).

My previous post described the history of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy, highlighted some of the Academicians, and touched on the research and impressive scientific credentials of the scientists who organized this workshop.

The Pontifical Academy has now published the Report on their April 2011 workshop: "Fate of the Mountain Glaciers in the Anthropocene: A Report by the Working Group Commissioned by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences."

The New York Times has published an informative article titled "Green Smoke Is Sighted as Vatican Releases Glacier Report" (5-6-11) that describes the Pontifical Academy workshop.

Reporter Lauren Morello interviewed several of the Academicians who participated in the Pontifical Academy workshop, such as V. Ramanathan. Academician Ramanathan's research on Asia's brown cloud is described in the A.P. Environmental Science book used by Catholic high school students.

Joe Romm's Climate Progress has a post about the Report by the Working Group titled Vatican on climate: Pray for science (5-11-11).

The homepage of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy states:

Workshop on Fate of Mountain Glaciers in the Anthropocene
(2-4 April 2011)

We call on all people and nations to recognise the serious and potentially irreversible impacts of global warming caused by the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and by changes in forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other land uses. We appeal to all nations to develop and implement, without delay, effective and fair policies to reduce the causes and impacts of climate change on communities and ecosystems, including mountain glaciers and their watersheds, aware that we all live in the same home. By acting now, in the spirit of common but differentiated responsibility, we accept our duty to one another and to the stewardship of a planet blessed with the gift of life. We are committed to ensuring that all inhabitants of this planet receive their daily bread, fresh air to breathe and clean water to drink as we are aware that, if we want justice and peace, we must protect the habitat that sustains us. The believers among us ask God to grant us this wish.

Ajai, L. Bengtsson, D. Breashears, P.J. Crutzen, S. Fuzzi, W. Haeberli, W.W. Immerzeel, G. Kaser, C. Kennel, A. Kulkarni, R. Pachauri, T. Painter, J. Rabassa, V. Ramanathan, A. Robock, C. Rubbia, L. Russell, M. Sánchez Sorondo, H.J. Schellnhuber, S. Sorooshian, T. F. Stocker, L.G. Thompson, O.B. Toon, D. Zaelke

Download the complete Statement

Erratum: This version dated May 11, 2011, corrects an error in the May 5 version. The word 'expansion' in the 2nd sentence in the 1st paragraph of p. 6 has been replaced with 'exploitation'.