Pundits left and right seem to think they know what Pope Francis will say on climate change, even before he says it. For months, we’ve been hearing about his forthcoming encyclical on the environment, which is expected to be released this summer.

The speculation has reached a fever pitch in the last week, in the buildup to a major Vatican conference on the subject in Rome this Tuesday. It will include U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, American economist Jeffrey Sachs and Cardinal Peter Turkson, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, who has contributed to the encyclical. Those inclined to read tea-leaves conclude that the encyclical will claim scientists know with certainty that human beings are causing catastrophic climate change, and promote major UN action and international treaties to control fossil fuel use.

Source: Dr. Jay Richards, https://stream.org