Even worse: He wants them to cast away their beliefs and fight global warming even if they’re skeptics.

MIAMI — Florida politicians have a duty to address the perils of climate change even if they don’t believe humans are hastening its grave consequences, Pope Francis’ chief adviser on climate change said in an interview with the Miami Herald before addressing a weekend conference on climate, nature and society at St. Thomas University law school.

Cardinal Peter Turkson said: “Anybody running for public office who sees the life of the people affected by climate-related disasters” needs to act.

That, he said, includes the state’s two Republican presidential contenders — former Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio — who remain skeptical of the science tying climate change to increased carbon emissions.

“You’ll not be shocked by this,” Turkson added. “I also know of a cardinal or two who don’t believe.”

As president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which also includes St. Thomas human rights professor Roza Pati, Turkson played a critical role in helping Francis draft the historic encyclical released last year. Leading up to the United Nations Paris talks that ended with a global pact to reduce carbon emissions, the manifest put the pope squarely in the middle of the debate, drawing praise for adding his significant influence to the issue and flack for meddling with what critics called a secular topic.

“One letter to me said the pope is about to turn a lie into a doctrine,” said Turkson, who was born in Ghana and, as a member of the Francis’s advisory council, is considered a contender to be the next pope. “It’s not been smooth sailing in all regards.”

HT: Climate Dispatch