Pope Francis is hosting a Climate Change summit on Tuesday, April 28, at the Vatican. The Pope has titled the summit “Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity. The Moral Dimensions of Climate Change and Sustainable Development.” The summit is part of the Pope’s ongoing campaign to raise awareness about climate change and global warming. The opening address will feature UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Environmental advocate Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network will also be there. The summit will precede the pope’s forthcoming encyclical on the environment, an influential papal document expected to be released in June or July, in which Frances will explain to the 1 billion Catholics the importance of climate change. Francis directly addressed climate change two years ago in Rome, in his inaugural mass, , when he voiced his belief that mistreating the environment is a sin. In 2014 the Vatican also held a five-day summit on sustainability inviting microbiologists, economists, legal scholars, and other experts to discuss ways to address climate change.
The preliminary schedule of events forthe summit can be seen here.
