Pope Francis on Friday urged governments to honor the Paris climate agreement — or else, he said, the Earth will turn into \u00ab\u00a0rubble, deserts and refuse.\u00a0\u00bb<\/b>
\nJuly 6 (UPI) — Pope Francis on Friday urged governments to honor the Paris climate agreement — or else, he said, the Earth will turn into \u00ab\u00a0rubble, deserts and refuse.\u00a0\u00bb
The pope spoke at a conference marking the third anniversary of his Laudato Si’ encyclical in 2015, which included similar warnings about human interaction with the environment, particularly as it relates to climate change.
\u00ab\u00a0The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet’s capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes,\u00a0\u00bb Pope Francis said Friday . \u00ab\u00a0There is a real danger that we will leave future generations only rubble, deserts and refuse.\u00a0\u00bb
The pope referred to this year’s COP24 environmental summit, set for Poland in December, saying discussions there could be significant for the path set out by the 2015 Paris agreement, which set stringent standards to restrict carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases.
\u00ab\u00a0We all know that much still needs to be done to implement that agreement. All governments should strive to honor the commitments made in Paris, in order to avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis,\u00a0\u00bb the pope said. \u00ab\u00a0Reducing greenhouse gases requires honesty, courage and responsibility, above all on the part of those countries which are more powerful and pollute the most.
\u00ab\u00a0We cannot afford to waste time.\u00a0\u00bb
In his remarks, the pope also said institutions like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank could play important roles in spurring reforms.
\u00ab\u00a0It is to be hoped that finance… will go back to being an instrument directed towards improved wealth creation and development, as well as towards care for the environment,\u00a0\u00bb he said.
Pope Francis said the world now has too many special interests, and economic interests can easily trump the common good.
\u00ab\u00a0Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good, and making a new start. Please continue to work for the radical change which present circumstances require,\u00a0\u00bb he said.
In closing, the pontiff looked to Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint for the environment, for inspiration.
\u00ab\u00a0May our struggles and our concern for this planet never take away the joy of our hope.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

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