Global Climate Change Conference Heats Up as Obama, Gore and the Vatican Strategize

First, President Obama suddenly reschedules his speech for the last day of the global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Then, Al Gore abruptly cancels his speech. Now the Vatican delegation announces it's bringing along representatives from two international Catholic charity organizations to lobby for the Vatican's position at the Conference. Things are cooking at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Mr. Obama wants a signed agreement among the nations by the end of the Conference, even if the actual details will have to be formulated later next year. Speaking at the end of the Global Climate Change summit will give him leverage to advance his plan for dealing with climate change issues, according to the White House Press Office.

It was just announced by the New York Times, Mr. Gore will speak on December 15 at the Bella Center, the site of the Global Change Conference and because of this late development, his previously scheduled talk designed to introduce his latest book was canceled.

Gore and Mr. Obama will meet privately on Monday, Dec. 14 at the White house, according to a White House press release.

Catholic clout is added to those dramas as the Vatican delegation to the Global Climate Change Conference and a coalition of over 150 charitable agencies are poised to raise awareness, if not the roof of the Bella center where the plenary sessions of the Global Climate Change Conference are being held in Copenhagen.

Caritas International, an umbrella organization of more than 150 Catholic charities and CIDSE, a charitable agency centered in Belgium representing another 30 organizations are bringing bishops and other representatives to the conference from 25 countries. The two agencies announced their plans in a statement on the CIDSE web site.

Their representatives will be lobbying delegates to commit to the goals of the Conference and they are determined to act peacefully but without turning the other cheek.

According to the Catholic News Service, Archbishop Silvio Celestino Migliore , the Vatican's permanent representative to the United Nations will lead the Vatican's delegation to the Global Climate Conference and will deliver an address with his usual formality and candor.

Archbishop Migliore will likely point to the Vatican's modest but real accomplishments to reduce its carbon foot-print. He may also refer to Benedict XVI's words in his latest encyclical, Caritas in Veritate : "The protection of the environment, of resources and of the climate obliges all international leaders to act jointly and to show a readiness to work in good faith, respecting the law and promoting solidarity with the weakest regions of the planet."

Sources:
White House Press Office
CIDSE website
Catholic New Service