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Evan Bartlett
Dec 28, 2014
Pope Francis is set to take a number of measures to tackle climate change in 2015 - including issuing a document to Catholics around the world.
His edict will be sent to 5,000 bishops and 400,000 priests who will then distribute it to parishioners - it will urge all Catholics to take action on moral and scientific grounds, according to the Guardian.
The pontiff will also give an address to the UN as well as call for a summit of leaders from all the world's major religions.
Our academics supported the pope’s initiative to influence next year’s crucial decisions. The idea is to convene a meeting with leaders of the main religions to make all people aware of the state of our climate and the tragedy of social exclusion.
- Bishop Marcelo Sorondo, chancellor of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences
According to Vatican insiders the Pope will try to lobby politicians in the build-up to the crucial climate summit in Paris in November.
A recent summit in Lima, Peru, was criticised for failing to fulfil the aims which were hoped for - something of a re-occurring theme in global climate summits.
Just as humanity confronted revolutionary change in the 19th century at the time of industrialisation, today we have changed the natural environment so much.
If current trends continue, the century will witness unprecedented climate change and destruction of the ecosystem with tragic consequences.
- Bishop Marcelo Sorondo