In a strong signal that he will continue the environmental legacy of his predecessor Pope Francis – who was nicknamed “Green Pope” – Pope Leo XIV issued a greeting to the assembled churches of the Global South at COP30 in Belém, Brazil that chastized the lack of political progress following the Paris Agreement and expressed reverence for the role of the Amazon.
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The greeting, issued on the occasion of a donation to the Amazon Museum in Belém, is a sign that the first American Pope has taken a very different direction than the ruling administration of his native land.
“The Paris Agreement has driven real progress and remains our strongest tool for protecting people and the planet. But we must be honest: it is not the Agreement that is failing, we are failing in our response. What is failing is the political will of some,” the greeting read.
“True leadership means service, and support at a scale that will truly make a difference. Stronger climate actions will create stronger and fairer economic systems. Strong climate actions and policies both are an investment in a more just and stable world.”
Leo continued the emphasis he has made since his election on the plight of the poor: “The creation is crying out in floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat. One in three people live in great vulnerability because of these climate changes. To them, climate change is not a distant threat, and to ignore these people is to deny our shared humanity.”
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The greeting also emphasized the urgency and necessity of action.
“There is still time to keep the rise in global temperature below 1.5C, but the window is closing. You chose hope and action over despair, building a global community that works together. This has delivered progress, but not enough. Hope and determination must be renewed, not only in words and aspirations, but also in concrete actions… As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to act swiftly.”
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell welcomed the Pope’s statement. “He reminds us that the Paris Agreement is delivering progress and remains our strongest tool – but we must work together for more, and that bolder climate action is an investment in stronger and fairer economies, and more stable world,” he said.
Although church membership is falling, Brazil remains a predominantly Catholic country, with 57% of its population as Catholic Church members.
Featured image: Edgar Beltrán via Wikimedia Commons.
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