Pope Francis called for “a renewed sense of shared responsibility for our world”, adding that current crises presented the opportunity to make “radical decisions”
Pope Francis will meet with US President Joe Biden later today to discuss issues including climate change and abortion
(Photo by Franco Origlia/Vatican Pool – Corbis/Getty Images)
By Poppy Wood
October 29, 2021 10:10 am(Updated 10:16 am)
The Pope has called on global leaders to urgently tackle the climate crisis to give “concrete hope to future generations”, as politicians from around the world head to the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow this weekend.
Pope Francis called for “a renewed sense of shared responsibility for our world”, adding that “each of us — whoever and wherever we may be — can play our own part in changing our collective response to the unprecedented threat of climate change and the degradation of our common home”.
In a special Thought for the Day message for BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the leader of the Catholic world warned against countries taking an isolationist approach in tackling a “succession of crises” in healthcare, the environment, food supplies and the economy.
“Climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic have exposed our deep vulnerability and raised numerous doubts and concerns about our economic systems and the way we organise our societies,” he said.
“We can confront these crises by retreating into isolationism, protectionism and exploitation,” the pontiff said, “or we can see in them a real chance for change.”
His comments come as world leaders prepare to head to Glasgow this weekend for the Cop26 climate summit, where countries are under pressure to tighten their commitments to reducing carbon emissions.
Action already pledged by nations to curb CO2 output over the next decade will fall short of plans to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial times, beyond which increasingly severe impacts will be felt.
The Pope told Today: “We have lost our sense of security and are experiencing a sense of powerlessness and loss of control over our lives.”
But in a tone of optimism, the Pontiff added that current crises presented unmissable opportunities to make “radical decisions”.
“The political decision makers who will meet at Cop26 in Glasgow are urgently summoned to provide effective responses to the present ecological crisis and in this way to offer concrete hope to future generations,” he said, in a recording from the Vatican spoken in Italian.
Earlier this month, the Pontiff gathered almost 40 faith leaders from across the world at the Vatican to sign a joint appeal calling on Cop26 to commit to pledges on global warming, carbon neutrality and support for poorer nations to transition to clean energy.
The two-week climate conference set to kick off in Glasgow this weekend will prove vital to deliver on the pledges laid out in the global Paris Agreement in 2015 to limit temperature rises to “well below” 2C — and to try for the safer goal of 1.5C.
Leaders of major economies will head to Scotland following a G20 meeting in Rome this week, where climate is set to dominate the agenda.
The Pope is due to meet US President Joe Biden at the Vatican later. Mr Biden’s domestic climate policies remain on hold after his party postponed a vote on his spending plans yesterday, though the President is expected to discuss the Covid pandemic, climate change, the global energy crisis and other major challenges with other world leaders in Italy.
Read More
What does COP26 stand for? Meaning of Glasgow climate change summit’s name explained and what to expect
Key heads of state including China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin are set to miss both summits, with many warning that significant action on climate change will be limited in the absence of two of the world’s largest carbon-emitting countries.
A draft G20 communique revealed that leaders will pledge to take urgent steps to reach the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C, following calls from UN chiefs, religious leaders and campaigners, to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.
Delegates will also face pressure to phase out coal power, boost electric vehicles and protect forests, while developed countries will be pushed to deliver finance for poorer nations to help transition to clean economies.
By Poppy Wood
October 29, 2021 10:10 am(Updated 10:16 am)
The Pope has called on global leaders to urgently tackle the climate crisis to give “concrete hope to future generations”, as politicians from around the world head to the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow this weekend.
Pope Francis called for “a renewed sense of shared responsibility for our world”, adding that “each of us — whoever and wherever we may be — can play our own part in changing our collective response to the unprecedented threat of climate change and the degradation of our common home”.
In a special Thought for the Day message for BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the leader of the Catholic world warned against countries taking an isolationist approach in tackling a “succession of crises” in healthcare, the environment, food supplies and the economy.
“Climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic have exposed our deep vulnerability and raised numerous doubts and concerns about our economic systems and the way we organise our societies,” he said.
“We can confront these crises by retreating into isolationism, protectionism and exploitation,” the pontiff said, “or we can see in them a real chance for change.”
His comments come as world leaders prepare to head to Glasgow this weekend for the Cop26 climate summit, where countries are under pressure to tighten their commitments to reducing carbon emissions.
Action already pledged by nations to curb CO2 output over the next decade will fall short of plans to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial times, beyond which increasingly severe impacts will be felt.
The Pope told Today: “We have lost our sense of security and are experiencing a sense of powerlessness and loss of control over our lives.”
But in a tone of optimism, the Pontiff added that current crises presented unmissable opportunities to make “radical decisions”.
“The political decision makers who will meet at Cop26 in Glasgow are urgently summoned to provide effective responses to the present ecological crisis and in this way to offer concrete hope to future generations,” he said, in a recording from the Vatican spoken in Italian.
Earlier this month, the Pontiff gathered almost 40 faith leaders from across the world at the Vatican to sign a joint appeal calling on Cop26 to commit to pledges on global warming, carbon neutrality and support for poorer nations to transition to clean energy.
The two-week climate conference set to kick off in Glasgow this weekend will prove vital to deliver on the pledges laid out in the global Paris Agreement in 2015 to limit temperature rises to “well below” 2C — and to try for the safer goal of 1.5C.
Leaders of major economies will head to Scotland following a G20 meeting in Rome this week, where climate is set to dominate the agenda.
The Pope is due to meet US President Joe Biden at the Vatican later. Mr Biden’s domestic climate policies remain on hold after his party postponed a vote on his spending plans yesterday, though the President is expected to discuss the Covid pandemic, climate change, the global energy crisis and other major challenges with other world leaders in Italy.
Read More
What does COP26 stand for? Meaning of Glasgow climate change summit’s name explained and what to expect
Key heads of state including China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin are set to miss both summits, with many warning that significant action on climate change will be limited in the absence of two of the world’s largest carbon-emitting countries.
A draft G20 communique revealed that leaders will pledge to take urgent steps to reach the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C, following calls from UN chiefs, religious leaders and campaigners, to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.
Delegates will also face pressure to phase out coal power, boost electric vehicles and protect forests, while developed countries will be pushed to deliver finance for poorer nations to help transition to clean economies.
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