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Pope Francis vs. Patriarch Bartholomew to Achieve Global Environmental Sustainability: Theoretical Insights Supported by Empirical Results

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  • Fabio Zagonari

    (Dipartimento di Scienze per la Qualità della Vita, Università di Bologna, Corso d’Augusto 237, 47921 Rimini, Italy)

Abstract

This paper theoretically examines and empirically assesses the ethical statements by Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew in terms of their ability to achieve global environmental sustainability. The theological discussion of environmental precepts in documents/speeches based on the recent academic literature suggests that (absolute feasibility) Pope Francis pursues unfeasible environmental and social goals (personal fulfillment, poverty reduction, population growth), whereas Patriarch Bartholomew pursues feasible environmental goals (meeting God’s will, following God’s law); (relative feasibility) Pope Francis suggests unclear and inconsistent values, whereas Patriarch Bartholomew suggests clear and consistent values; (absolute reliability) Pope Francis relies on many instruments close to alternative attitudes to the environment (happy sobriety, contemplative style, human rights), whereas Patriarch Bartholomew rests on few instruments close to unambiguous concerns for the environment (happiness from sanctity, ascetism, duties to community); (relative reliability) Pope Francis suggests broad behavioral rules, whereas Patriarch Bartholomew suggests targeted behavioral rules. The statistical analysis of documents/speeches as if they are environmental regulations (using “sin”) based on dynamic panel data shows that Patriarch Bartholomew > Pope Francis in absolute feasibility; Patriarch Bartholomew > Pope Francis in relative feasibility; Pope Francis > Patriarch Bartholomew in absolute reliability; and Patriarch Bartholomew > Pope Francis in relative reliability. Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew together reduced the global average per capita use of the Earth’s resources by 5% per year.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabio Zagonari, 2023. "Pope Francis vs. Patriarch Bartholomew to Achieve Global Environmental Sustainability: Theoretical Insights Supported by Empirical Results," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:18:p:13789-:d:1240896
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Coşgel, Metin & Miceli, Thomas J., 2018. "The price of redemption: Sin, penance, and marginal deterrence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 206-218.
    2. Fabio Zagonari, 2020. "Environmental sustainability is not worth pursuing unless it is achieved for ethical reasons," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Andreas Spahn, 2018. "“The First Generation to End Poverty and the Last to Save the Planet?”—Western Individualism, Human Rights and the Value of Nature in the Ethics of Global Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-16, June.
    4. Fabio Zagonari, 2020. "Comparing Religious Environmental Ethics to Support Efforts to Achieve Local and Global Sustainability: Empirical Insights Based on a Theoretical Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-36, March.
    5. Schaffartzik, Anke & Duro, Juan Antonio & Krausmann, Fridolin, 2019. "Global appropriation of resources causes high international material inequality – Growth is not the solution," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 9-19.
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