Pope Francis made his strongest statements yet about climate change Wednesday, rebuking fossil fuel companies and urging countries to make an immediate transition to renewable energy.

In a new document titled “Laudate Deum,” or “Praise God,” the pope criticizes oil and gas companies for greenwashing new fossil fuel projects and calls for more ambitious efforts in the West to tackle the climate crisis. In the landmark apostolic exhortation, a form of papal writing, Francis says that “avoiding an increase of a tenth of a degree in the global temperature would already suffice to alleviate some suffering for many people.”

“Laudate Deum” is a follow-up to the pope’s 2015 encyclical on climate change, known as “Laudato Si’,” which lamented the exploitation of the planet and cast the protection of the environment as a moral imperative. When it was released, “Laudato Si’” was viewed as an extraordinary move by the head of the Catholic Church to address global warming and its consequences.

Nearly a decade later, the pope’s message has taken on new urgency.

  • angrystego@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Is Latin America not important enough? How about Poland or Italy? There are even 20% of catholics in the USA. According to Wiki, there is 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide - that’s important enough to me. Do you really think major religions play no role on the political stage?

    • killeronthecorner@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      15% of the world’s population is ~1.3b people. You don’t need to quote the same stats back at me.

      Where did I say anything about SA not being important? Equally, why fixate on SA if the pope has influenced so much politically in the rest of the world?

      Also we’re talking about Catholicism and the Pope, not other major religions. Stop moving the goalposts.

      I’m still waiting for the answer to my question.

      • RedAggroBest@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        Stop moving goalposts

        You say as they address your issue and name several Catholic majority countries where the opinions of the pope sway politics far more than you’re accepting.

        You’re the one moving goalposts on them lol