Pope Francis has managed to surprise the world yet again, inviting one of the world's most high-profile social activists, Naomi Klein, to chair a conference on climate change, alongside one of the pope's most senior aides, Cardinal Peter Turkson.
The unlikely duo is set to lead a high-level conference about urgent environmental issues that are plaguing the planet today. The conference aims to bring together churchmen, scientists and environmental activists to discuss and debate on climate change action, according to The Guardian.
Being a professor of climate change economics, Cardinal Turkson is a very logical pick to head the conference. Klein, however, is not. Her presence, and most especially the position granted to her in the conference may be quite controversial, not only because of her secular background, but because she is fiercely socialist in her outlook and very vocal about her criticisms of 21st century capitalism, reports Breitbart.
Klein, however, believes that the Vatican has made its stance clear on the issue of climate change by inviting her to co-chair the conference.
"The fact that they invited me indicates they're not backing down from the fight. A lot of people have patted the pope on the head, but said he's wrong on the economics. I think he's right on the economics," she said.
She further states that the pope's position at the summit of the Catholic Church gives him a unique leverage to unite those who are basically fighting for the same ends regarding climate change.
"The holistic view of the encyclical should be a catalyst to bring together the twin economic and climate crises, instead of treating them separately," Klein said.
