Few have noticed that Pope Benedict’s creation of a new in-house financial watchdog also includes criminalization of environmental pollution. In article 18, the new law establishes a penalty of up to six months imprisonment and a fine of $3,500 to $35,000 for anyone who pollutes the soil or water, and establishes the same penalties for polluting the atmosphere. The jail term rises to a year, and the fines range from $7,000 to $70,000, if the pollution occurs with hazardous substances. Scroll to the end of this link.
His 2009 message for World Day of Peace drew headlines about the “Green Pope”
Tags: Pope, Pope Benedict XVI
