Scientists at Paris summit cite God, faith to bolster climate change action

Nuns plead for a climate agreement in Paris, carrying a banner of Pope Francis
(Image credit: Guillermo Legaria/AFP/Getty Images)

Negotiators at the COP21 climate summit in Paris are entering the second and final week of the high-stakes talks with a draft agreement but some thorny issues left to iron out before Friday, mostly dealing with which parts to make legally binding — it looks like the most likely option is verifying progress on nations' own emissions targets — and deciding how much financial assistance wealthy countries will provide to developing nations. There is some optimism, and plenty of urgency. "We're talking about life itself," French Minister Laurent Fabius told the delegates in an emotional address Saturday night. "I intend to muster the experience of my entire life to the service of success for next Friday."

But climate scientists have been down this road before, and over the past 11 years, international negotiators have tried and failed to reach an international accord. This time, The Associated Press reports, some influential scientists have embraced a higher power, and also Pope Francis. "You can argue the science until cows come home, but that just appeals to people's intellect," says Marcia McNutt, the incoming head of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and former director of the U.S. Geological Survey and Science editor. "The pope's argument appeals to someone's heart. Whenever you appeal to someone's heart that's a much more powerful message."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.