Pope's water expert says climate change is real

Catholic News Service reports that Pope Benedict has appointed Venezuelan born Princeton Professor Ignacio Rodriguez-Iturbe, who was awarded the Stockholm Water Prize in 2002, to the Pontifical Academy of Science.

Professor Rodriguez-Turbe is an internationally recognised hydrologist whose work has focused on measuring and predicting long-term cycles of flooding and drought, as well as the most efficient means for distributing water.

The National Catholic Reporter's John Allen quotes Rodríguez-Iturbe as saying he regards his appointment to the prestigious Academy of Sciences, with roughly one-third of its members Nobel laureates, as "a sign of the interest of the Holy Father and the academy in getting more and more involved in environmental issues".

“From a scientific point of view, there is overwhelming evidence of serious anthropogenic impact related to global warming,” Rodríguez-Iturbe said. “This implies an enormous responsibility with regard to the consequences for peace and prosperity for the world, and for future generations.”

“I do not share the view of those who say we should keep out of it,” he told Allen. “If we accept the science, if we believe [global warming] is here and that human activity is a leading cause, then the church, the Vatican, should be involved.”

Allen adds that Rodriguez-Iturbe is encouraged by Pope Benedict’s growing advocacy of sustainable development, especially as it relates to his own interest in water, which he described as “a keystone to human survival and development.”

Interestingly, Rodriguez-Iturbe is also a member of Opus Dei, belying that organisation's media reputation for conservatism.