On Thursday, June 17, 2015, Pope Francis called for action on climate change in his encyclical on the environment. The 182 page “Laudato Si,” or “Be Praised” is the first encyclical emanating from the Vatican that is dedicated to climate change. Pope Francis pressed the religious community to work for an “ecological conversion” for the faithful. He warned of the perils of industrial waste while promoting the increased use of renewable fuel via subsidies and energy efficiency. He stressed that the rich nations should assume responsibility for the poorer countries and to fight inequality and global poverty. The Pope also advocated for a new partnership between science and religion to successfully win the battle against what he defines as human-driven climate change. The 10 key excerpts of Pope Francis’s encyclical can be read here. The encyclical had a rippling effect on religious leaders in Britain, who have pledged to fast and pray for global work by the international community. The encyclical is very timely, leading up to this December’s 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) climate change meeting in Paris, a much anticipated conference that will work to solidity a global agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
