Pope Leo XIV criticized climate skeptics who dismiss the threat of global warming and emphasized the need to continue the “green” course.
This was reported by Crux.
Leo XIV quoted the apostolic exhortation of the previous Pope Francis, Laudate Deum, published in 2023. The Argentine pope rebuked and called on world leaders on the eve of the UN conference to commit to slowing climate change before it is too late.
“Some leaders have decided to mock the obvious signs of climate change, to mock those who speak of global warming, and even to blame the poor for what affects them most,” Leo XIV said, referring to Francis' apostolic exhortation.
The Pope called for openness of heart to truly embrace the ecological cause and said that every Christian should join in. In particular, Leo XIV spoke on a stage where a huge piece of melted glacier from Greenland and tropical ferns were displayed as symbols of global warming.
Therefore, the head of the Catholic Church resolutely took on the environmental role of Francis, blessing the Vatican's plan to turn an agricultural field north of Rome into a huge solar power plant. When it becomes operational, this farm is expected to make the Vatican the world's first carbon-neutral state.
We remind EcoPolitics readers that in August, Pope Leo XIV introduced a “green mass” — a church service dedicated to environmental protection — and called on all believers to protect nature, announcing a shift toward renewable energy.
The Pope called this initiative an example for the whole world and a “common home,” especially after many natural disasters that lead to climate change.