“Energy poverty” is a coal industry propaganda campaign

(Denise, , 7-6)

Fossil fuel advocates are criticizing Pope Francis' recent climate encyclical, claiming his call to phase out fossil fuels will harm the poor by preventing access to electricity and keeping them in “energy poverty.” But fossil fuels are not economically viable in most of the communities that suffer from a lack of electricity, and on-the-ground experts have explained that distributed renewable energy sources are often a more effective way to lift the world's impoverished -- who will be most affected by the adverse impacts of climate change -- out of energy poverty. Arch Coal Lobbyist Provided Talking Points To Use Against Pope, Touting “Energy Poverty” Meme. In advance of Pope Francis' landmark encyclical calling for action on climate change, Arch Coal lobbyist Tom Altmeyer sent an email blast with talking points to use against the pope, including that the encyclical does not “address the tragedy of global energy poverty.” The Guardian reported that in the email, Altmeyer argued that the pope “should be promoting fossil fuels if he really cared about social justice” : “Unfortunately, the Pope's Encyclical, to be officiallt released on 6.18. does not apperar to address the tragedy of global energy poverty - see realities below [sic]” . In the email, Altmeyer argued the pope should be promoting fossil fuels if he really cared about social justice. “Industry, policymakers and social leaders - like Pope Francis - must work together to support policies that bring about new advances in fossil energy technologies so we can strike a balance between global economic needs and climate concerns,” the email said. [The Guardian, 6/17/15] Mainstream Publications Quoted Anti-Environment Group Pushing Energy Poverty Argument. The New York Times, E&E Publishing, and the National Catholic Reporter all published quotes from the anti-environment group Cornwall Alliance's spokesman E. Calvin Beisner, who claimed renewable energy would further impoverish individuals, in their coverage of the pope's climate encyclical:The New York Times reported: "'The policies meant to mitigate global warming would oppress the poor by depriving them of the energy without which they cannot rise out of poverty,' E. Calvin Beisner, a leader of an American group called the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation, declared this year in Rome at a symposium held to pre-emptively counter Francis' message." [The New York Times, 6/21/15] National Catholic Reporter reported: “The policies Francis recommends would make it more difficult to overcome poverty, [Beisner] said. 'Ironically, by prolonging and even spreading poverty, those policies would put more of the natural environment at risk...Wealth enables people to afford better environmental stewardship,' Beisner said.” [National Catholic Reporter, 6/18/15] E&E Publishing reported: "'By prolonging and even spreading poverty, those policies would put more of the natural environment at risk,' said Calvin Beisner, founder of the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation ... 'Pope Francis should champion economic development as a solution both to poverty and to environmental degradation.'" [E&E Publishing, 6/18/15]