Letter to Jacob Rees-Mogg, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Source: Laudato Si' Animators

Dear Mr Rees-Mogg,

We would like to offer our congratulations on your appointment as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. We felt that such a strong Catholic as yourself would help to promote Catholic Social Teaching (CST) on environmental responsibility.

Therefore, it is with great disappointment that we read about your determination to press for more oil and gas extraction from the North Sea, and about your meeting with oil and gas companies in a bid to boost North Sea supplies. We feel obliged to point out that this attitude is short-sighted, and seems to be at odds with CST. You are trying to help solve the energy crisis with an action that will increase the planetary crisis in the future, which is the precise attitude which has got us into the position of planetary breakdown in the first place.

You say "2050 is a long way off. We're not trying to become net zero tomorrow."

Even if the world ended all fossil fuel production immediately, we are still on the course of planetary meltdown unless other actions are taken, such as ending methane production from farming and industry and stopping pollution from farming and industry. So immediate action to end fossil fuel extraction and use, and to develop clean energy are only parts of the solution, parts that have to be taken seriously.

You must have read reports of Pope Francis speaking in the strongest terms about taking immediate steps to end fossil fuel production and consumption. For instance, on 14-6-2019, he said to oil and gas executives whom he met at the Vatican: "The climate crisis requires our decisive action, here and now".

At that meeting he appealed to oil and gas companies to move from fossil fuels to renewable energy in order to prevent climate change pushing the world's poorest people deeper into poverty. As if speaking directly to you he said, "our desire to ensure energy for all must not lead to the undesired effect of a spiral of extreme climate changes due to a catastrophic rise in global temperatures, harsher environments and increased levels of poverty". He told the fossil fuel representatives that switching to clean energy, "is a duty that we owe towards millions of our brothers and sisters around the world, poorer countries and generations yet to come."

In his Encyclical Laudato Si' he said, "the effects of the present imbalance can only be reduced by our decisive action, here and now," #161. And in # 169 he talks about future generations not having to suffer, "the effects of our ill-advised delays".

To us, it seems clear that the Pope is calling for an immediate end to fossil fuel extraction, as a means not only of saving the planet but also of providing for the needs of poor people.

Do you feel that we may be wrong, and that your actions regarding fossil fuels are more in keeping with present Catholic teaching?

What are the strategies that you plan to put in place to ensure a rapid end to fossil fuel production and consumption?

We look forward to your response.

With gratitude for your time in considering our views,

Yours in Christ,

John Woodhouse, Laudato Si' Animators' Contact, Westminster Archdiocese

Virginia Bell, Laudato Si' Animator, Northampton Diocese

Menchu Benavides-Guijarro, Laudato Si' Animator, Lancaster Diocese

Ann Burke, Laudato Si' Animator Supporter, Hallam Diocese

Rab Burnett, Laudato Si' Animator, St. Andrews & Edinburgh Diocese

Gill Casebourne-Peters MA, Laudato Si' Animator Supporter, Southwark Diocese

Rita Day, Laudato Si' Animator, Westminster Archdiocese

Jacqueline Eustace, Laudato Si' Animator Supporter, Northampton Diocese

Minnie Fraser, Laudato Si' Animator, Hexham & Newcastle Diocese

Kevin Haigh, Laudato Si' Animator, Hexham & Newcastle

Isabella Harding, Laudato Si' Animator, Clifton Diocese

Jeannie Hardy, Laudato Si' Animator, Hexham & Newcastle Diocese

Michael Hardy, Laudato Si' Animator, Hexham & Newcastle Diocese

Mary Hughes, Laudato Si' Animator, Hexham & Newcastle Diocese

Barbara Hungin, Laudato Si' Animator, Middlesbrough Diocese

David Jackson, Laudato Si' Animator, Leeds Diocese

Sr Zoe Leadbetter, Laudato Si' Animator, Westminster Archdiocese

Philip Mayland, Laudato Si' Animator, Birmingham Archdiocese

Sr Kate Midgley, Laudato Si' Animator, Westminster Archdiocese

Ann Milner, Laudato Si' Animator, Westminster Archdiocese

Christina Mottram, Laudato Si' Animator, Nottingham Diocese

Chris Myers, Laudato Si' Animator, Hexham & Newcastle

Clare Myers, Laudato Si' Animator, Hexham & Newcastle

Ann Neale, Laudato Si' Animator, Nottingham Diocese

Janet Parsons MBE, Laudato Si' Animator, Clifton Diocese

Margaret Phillips, Laudato Si' Animators Supporter, Nottingham Diocese

Maria Pizzoni, Laudato Si' Animator Supporter, Wrexham Diocese

Susan Porter, Laudato Si' Animator, Birmingham Diocese

David Ryan, Laudato Si' Animator, Liverpool Archdiocese

Chris Sciberras, Laudato Si' Animator, Southwark Archdiocese

Geraldine Sharpe, Laudato Si' Animators Supporter, Arundel & Brighton Diocese

Widya Sujana, Laudato Si Animator, Glasgow Archdiocese

Karen Thompson, Laudato Si' Animator, Hexham & Newcastle Diocese

Columba Timmins, Laudato Si' Animator, Hallam Diocese

Bob Turner, Laudato Si' Animator, Salford Diocese

Janet Vaughan, Laudato Si' Animators Supporter, Birmingham Diocese

Pauline Volk, Laudato Si' Animator, Liverpool Archdiocese

Karin Weetman, Laudato Si' Animator, Hexham & Newcastle

Peter Zabala, Laudato Si' Animator, Nottingham Diocese

Notes:

Laudato Si Animators UK is a group of people who have graduated from the Catholic Laudato Si' Movement's 'Animators' Course', which is set up to educate and enable people to inspire others, in parishes, schools and in the world at large, to engage in dialogue and action on the current environmental crisis.

Jacob Rees-Mogg was appointed as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 6 September 2022.