18 - From Inspiration to Implementation: Laudato Si’, Public Theology and the Demands of Energy Policy

Summary

This chapter presents a critical appreciation of the influential encyclical letter of Pope Francis on the environment, Ladauto Si’, issued on the eve of COP 21 in 2015. After placing the document in the context of earlier papal statements and noting its immediate impacts, the chapter sets out the theological, diagnostic and normative substance of the document and explores the multiple challenges it presents to diverse actors in the field of energy policy, from consumers through to global institutions. The chapter appreciates the originality, radicality and inspirational quality of the document but observes that it leaves much work for these actors if its message is to be effectively translated into workable, strategic environmental and energy policy guidelines. The document does well at the macro-level of broad cultural analysis and at the micro-level of illustrative concrete examples but falls short at the meso-level in terms of defining guidelines for specific sectors such as technology, markets and states.