Updated with comments by Sean McDonagh on the potential devastating consequences President elect Trump's policies on the environment will have if implemented.

Last Tuesday, 08 November 2016, citizens of the U.S.A. elected their new President.
The resulting democratic election of Donald Trump led to joyous celebration among his followers and despair, despondency, and even a sense of fear among those who opposed his views and values.

Brendan Hoban, in his Western People column and Tony Flannery, on his own blog site, have shared some thoughts on the election of Donald Trump and possible implications for us in Ireland.

Sean McDonagh tells us of his experience of the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Fiji.
Sean also tells of the terrible air pollution the over exuberant use of fireworks during the festival caused in Delhi.
Any lessons for over enthusiastic thurible swingers?

Fr Sean McDonagh, a member of the leadership team of the ACP, recently met with Pope Francis.
Maybe the nuncio to Ireland and Irish bishops might do likewise on a regular basis.

Seán McDonagh, SSC reports on a Joint Consultation on ‘Laudato Si’ and the Path to 'COP 22’ organised by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences.
He quotes Prof. Ramanathan Veerabhadran as saying "the effect of greenhouse gases on global warming is the most important environmental issue facing the world today."
"At the end of the meeting the group released this document in preparation for the COP 22 which will take place in Marraakesh from November 7 to 18th 2016.
“ The Paris Climate Agreement is historic. For the first time since the signing of the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), all countries have agreed to act in order to protect the planet. The core goals include: (1) keeping warming to “well below 2-degrees C” and “to pursue efforts to keep below 1.5-degree C”; (2) enabling countries to adapt to the adverse impacts already underway; and (3) ensuring the flow of fair and equitable financing to achieve the climate goals."

In response to Seán McDonagh's call for more discussion in church about issues that matter and are relevant to the lives of all people rather than silly season tabloid fodder Joe O Leary replied with a long response that includes an article by Stefano Zamagni, on “Ecology, Economics, and Ethics”.
We carry it as a stand alone post rather than a reply as it is well worth reading. Our thanks to Joe.

Laudato Si’ and the Importance of Water

Columban Ecological Institute, St. Columban’s, Dalgan

Saturday May 28th 2016, 9.00am – 3.30pm

Sean McDonagh kindly provides the text of an interview he did with Brian Rowe of the National Catholic Reporter during his recent 10-day speaking tour of the East Coast of the U.S. which focused on his new book on Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.”
Sean tells us "This is potentially an extraordinary moment for the church," ... "… Now do we take it or do we go back into our burrows? I hope we take it.”

Seán McDonagh, drawing on the wisdom of 'Laudato Si’ brings to our attention the impact the consumption of meat is having on Humans and the Global Environment.
"We might think that this generation is merely following the tradition of our ancestors when it comes to eating meat. In reality the global meat industry has grown dramatically in recent decades. Between 1963 and 2014 meat production globally has grown from 78 million tons to 300 million tons."
"to reach a healthy level of meat consumption, citizens of the United States would have to cut their meat consumption by two-thirds, while in Britain and Ireland we should be eating half as much meat as we do."

Seán McDonagh continues to draw our attention to the wealth of knowledge and teaching there is to be gleaned from 'Laudato Si’ and to the urgency of Pope Francis' message.
"Coral reefs, for example, have declined by 40 percent worldwide. This has been caused by climate-change warming of the oceans and deforestation in the tropics. Even though they constitute only 1 per cent of the ocean seabed, coral reefs are home to 25 percent of the species of the ocean."
"there is time for humans to halt the damage with effective programmes limiting the exploitation of the oceans."

Sean McDonagh keeps the teaching and insights of 'Laudato Si' before us.
"The destruction of biodiversity is a disaster for planet earth. Scientists now estimate that 100,000 species become extinct each year through deforestation, poaching and pollution. The current rate of extinction is estimated to be 1000 times what it would be in the absence of human intervention."
But all is not bad news. Sean writes that "Amid all the gloom, there is a flicker of hope through targeted breeding programmes."