Climate campaigners praise a cool pope
Through magisterial Vatican pronouncements about the dangers posed by the warming planet, Pope Francis gave the Roman Catholic church a voice that influenced climate change talks, experts said.
Amidst an outpouring of praise for the late pontiff, the United Nations climate change chief singled out Francis's commitment and skills in putting the spotlight on the risks to the planet and its poorest inhabitants.
Pope Francis was "an unflinching global champion of climate action", said UN climate change executive secretary Simon Stiell, organiser of the fraught international talks on limiting temperature rises.
"He had a deep working knowledge of complex climate issues, and his leadership brought together those most powerful forces of faith and science to deliver unimpeachable truths, highlighting the costs of the climate crisis for billions of people," Stiell added.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who will host the next UN talks in November, said Francis had spoken about climate change with "simplicity", "courage" and "empathy".
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu said Francis had been the world's "most trenchant voice" on climate change.
- 'Inspired by Amazonian wisdom' -
Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI, was already known as the "Green Pope" because of his ecological advocacy. But Francis went further, issuing the first Vatican encyclical, one of its most important policy documents, devoted to the protection of humanity's "common home".
Complaining that there had not been an adequate response, Francis issued an apostolic exhortation -- a lower level but still serious pronouncement in 2023 -- addressed "To All People of Good Will on the Climate Crisis".
According to Charles Mercier, an expert on Catholicism, Francis brought a different approach to Benedict with his "Laudato Si" (Praised If) encyclical.
The Argentine pontiff "was also inspired by Amazonian wisdom, he included non-Western elements in the corpus, relating to nature, something that some have criticized him for," he added.
- 'A moral compass' -
"In the climate debate, he has always been with the poor, with indigenous people," said Oscar Soria, an Argentine activist who has taken part in climate talks.
"He was also an Amazonian pope, a pope for the forests, for the oceans," added Soria.
Even before becoming pope, Francis raised climate themes at a 2007 conference of Latin American bishops, Soria said.
A few months after Francis's "Laudato Si" document, the Paris climate accord on seeking to limit the global temperature rise to two degrees Celsius was adopted at the COP21 talks. Soria said the pope had an influence.
Francis was "a pope that supported different environmental causes when these causes needed a powerful voice," said Soria.
"He has been a moral compass in the negotiations always since 2015 onwards, he's always been practising quiet diplomacy," said the activist.
"In moments where we were almost about to lose consensus in the climate agreement, he made all the different calls necessary to protect the Paris Agreement."
- Critical of climate sceptics -
Laurence Tubiana, one of the architects of the Paris accord, said that "Laudato Si" had "inspired" a new generation of Christian climate activists. The encyclical clearly stated that human action had brought the world to the "point of rupture".
The encyclical set off a global debate that religious texts have rarely achieved in recent times. His moral message slammed consumerism, individualism and the reckless pursuit of economic growth that ignored the planet's plight.
His apostolic exhortation to the faithful, "Laudate Deum", came out just before the COP28 talks in Dubai.
He called on Catholics to divert investment away from fossil fuel and for the Vatican to pursue carbon neutrality.
Francis attacked climate sceptics -- "certain dismissive and scarcely reasonable opinions that I encounter, even within the Catholic Church".
Poor health prevented Francis from going to Dubai, but on a trip to Indonesia in September 2024 he again raised the "environmental crisis".
"He created not just a movement but a spirituality and a sensitivity towards the earth, towards the most vulnerable."
mdz-ved/tw/jj
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Opinion - Kazakhstan's president: Strengthen the UN by modernizing multilateralism
As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary this year, it is important to reflect on what the world's most prominent multilateral institution has achieved — and why it remains indispensable. Since its founding in 1945, the U.N. has deployed over 70 peacekeeping missions, helped stabilize conflict zones, protected civilians and delivered vital humanitarian aid to millions affected by war, famine and natural disasters. It has led major environmental efforts; ensures smooth transition towards the digital world; and remains the world's central forum for diplomacy, uniting 193 member states around peace, development and human rights. Yet this anniversary comes amid rising criticism. The U.N. faces growing scrutiny for its limited enforcement powers and frequent Security Council deadlocks due to vetoes. Concerns also persist about inequitable global governance, with developing and middle powers — especially from Africa, Asia and Latin America — underrepresented in global decision-making. Some argue that the U.N. is outdated and should be bypassed in a multipolar world. But that would be a mistake. Instead, we must modernize multilateralism to make the U.N. more responsive to regional priorities and more reflective of today's global realities. Central to this is empowering developing and middle powers to lead on regional issues — supported by the legitimacy of the U.N. system. This would amplify the voices of countries with the knowledge and stakes to act effectively, while reducing the downsides of overly centralized responses. A concrete example of this approach is the establishment of the U.N. Regional Center on Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, following the adoption of a resolution by the General Assembly on March 4. The regional center will serve as a hub for practical solutions, supporting regional cooperation on issues such as climate change, economic integration and water security. Working closely with the U.N., the regional center will empower countries in the region to address shared challenges through coordinated, results-focused action. For Kazakhstan and its neighbors, it reflects the simple truth that those who live in a region are best placed to shape peace, development and lasting progress. The center brings the Sustainable Development Goals closer to the people they're meant to serve, translating global goals into local impact. The regional center also offers a forward-looking model. Globally, the U.N. should partner with regional actors, enabling developing and middle powers to lead on locally relevant issues, whether in the Sahel, Southeast Asia or Latin America. This approach will foster a more inclusive, flexible and effective multilateral system. Developing countries and middle powers are the ones who often believe most deeply in the U.N.'s purpose. They see it as the only universal platform where all states — large and small — can speak, negotiate and build consensus. If the U.N. is to truly serve the global community, then its structures, particularly the Security Council, must be reformed to include more voices from outside the permanent five members (the U.S., the U.K., France, Russia and China). Only then can the U.N. better address the diverse and urgent regional challenges of our time. Kazakhstan, for its part, has long demonstrated its commitment to lead regionally and to act responsibly on the global stage when given the opportunity. Regionally, our country has worked to support the development and reintegration of Afghanistan. We have provided humanitarian assistance, championed educational programs for Afghan youth and pushed for the country's integration into regional trade and energy networks. We believe that stability in Afghanistan is essential to the prosperity of Central Asia. Our region cannot unlock its full potential while one of our neighbors remains isolated. This engagement must be undertaken by the countries that understand the local context working in partnership with the U.N., not from the distant desks of global bureaucracies. Globally, Kazakhstan has supported peaceful conflict resolution and responsible diplomacy. We have hosted negotiations under the Astana Process on Syria, facilitated peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan last year and consistently advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the war in Ukraine. We have also deployed peacekeeping personnel to the Golan Heights and participate in various other U.N. missions, including the Mission in South Sudan, the Truce Supervision Organization and the Interim Security Force for Abyei. We were also honored to serve as a non-permanent member of the Security Council from 2017 to 2018. I believe the U.N. can become an even more vital organization if reforms are implemented. That is why we positively assess the UN80 Initiative, launched by Secretary-General António Guterres in March, which aims to modernize and strengthen the U.N.'s operations, review outdated mandates, improve efficiency and ensure that it can respond effectively to today's global challenges. If we succeed in making the U.N. more representative, more regionally grounded and more results-focused, we will have an institution fit for the 21st century — one that can lead the charge on issues ranging from climate change and food insecurity to conflict prevention and technological governance. For its part, Kazakhstan will remain a proactive partner in these efforts. For instance, we renounced the world's fourth-largest nuclear weapons arsenal upon gaining independence in 1991 and contributed to the establishment of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in 2006. Since then, we have advocated globally for the elimination of nuclear weapons, including by signing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2018, and have promoted the peaceful use of nuclear energy. We will continue to push for a world free of nuclear weapons by the U.N.'s centenary in 2045 and to champion diplomacy, dialogue and multilateral cooperation at every level. In the spirit of this anniversary, the international community must not give up on the United Nations, but rather recommit to it, reform it and strengthen it. This universal organization is absolutely essential for humanity — there is no alternative. Working together, member states can enhance the U.N.'s authority and ensure that it delivers tangible benefits to people around the world. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has served as the president of Kazakhstan since 2019. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
2 hours ago
As UN climate talks loom, Brazil's Amazon forest loses in May an area larger than NYC
MANAUS, Brazil -- Brazil's environmental goals suffered a major setback in May as deforestation in the Amazon surged 92% compared to the same month last year, according to official monitoring data released Friday. Forest loss reached 960 square kilometers (371 square miles) during the period, an area slightly larger than New York City. It was the second-highest total for May since the current monitoring system was implemented in 2016. The increase risks reversing the year-over-year decline in forest clearance since 2023, when Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva began his third term. During his campaign, the leftist leader had pledged to end deforestation by 2030. Brazil's monitoring system tracks deforestation from Aug. 1 to July 30. Over the past 10 months, deforestation has risen 9.7% compared to the same period a year earlier. The 2025 deforestation rate, tracked by the National Institute for Space Research, is expected to be announced just before the U.N. climate talks, scheduled for November in the Amazonian city of Belém. Brazil is one of the world's top 10 emitters of greenhouse gases, contributing about 3% of global emissions, according to the nonprofit Climate Watch. Almost half of those emissions come from deforestation, making efforts to halt it critical to meeting Brazil's commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement. The Amazon, an area almost twice the size of India, contains the world's largest rainforest, about two-thirds of it within Brazil. It stores vast amounts of carbon dioxide, holds about 20% of the world's freshwater and is home to hundreds of Indigenous tribes, some living in isolation, and 16,000 known tree species. ____
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Johnson expands size of Intelligence panel to give Stefanik spot
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is back on the House Intelligence Committee after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) opted to expand the size of the panel — the latest fallout from President Trump's decision to withdraw the New York Republican's nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The House on Friday approved, through unanimous consent, changing the chamber's rules to allow no more than 27 members to sit on the House Intelligence Committee — up from no more than 25 members. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) then appointed Stefanik, who will serve as ranking member, and Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) to the panel. The move puts to bed one of the lingering questions following the withdrawal of Stefanik's nomination to serve as UN ambassador in March, a move that shook Washington and underscored the ultra-thin majority Republicans are grappling with in the House. Stefanik had served on the plum Intelligence Committee since 2017 but relinquished her position for the 119th Congress as she prepared to leave the House to serve as UN ambassador. At the beginning of the term, Johnson filled the committee — whose members are up to the discretion of party leadership — leaving no room for Stefanik when she wanted to return. Johnson vowed to place Stefanik back on the committee in April when he announced that she would rejoin the conference's top ranks as Chairwoman of the House Republican Leadership. But it remained unclear if he would increase the number of members on the panel, or look to swap someone out for Stefanik. On Friday he made the decision official, increasing the size of the committee and naming Stefanik as ranking member, serving right below House Intelligence Committee Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ark.). 'I'm proud to continue my work as a senior Member of the House Intelligence Committee, House Armed Services Committee, and the Education and the Workforce Committee to secure results for my constituents in New York's 21st Congressional District and the American people,' Stefanik said in April. 'I look forward to the work ahead in enacting President Trump's historic agenda.' The relationship between Stefanik and Johnson has been tense since the congresswoman decided to remain in the House following her withdrawn nomination for UN ambassador. The New York Times reported in April that Stefanik blamed Johnson for White House's decision not to move forward with her nod, and the pair got in a public spat that month after Johnson suggested he had spoken with her about her interest in running for governor of New York. Stefanik said that was 'not true,' and the two later met. Johnson said the duo had a 'really great meeting.' 'She's like a sister to me, and there was a lot of things being said that weren't true of people about us and what was being said, and we worked that out and I thought it was great,' Johnson said.
