François calls on world leaders to protect …

From Rome

On the occasion of World Earth Day, when a world climate summit takes place, moderated by US President Joe Biden and involving leaders from around the world, Pope Francis, who has always defended Mother Earth even in his 2015 encyclical “Laudato si”, released a video message to the world on Thursday.

“For a long time, we have become more aware that nature deserves to be protected, even if it is for the fact that human interactions with the biodiversity that God has given us must be done with the greatest care and the greatest respect. And that, during the pendamia, we learned a lot more, ”Francisco began by saying.

“This pandemic has also shown us what happens when the world stops (…) and the impact that this has on nature and on climate change,” added the Pope., who made a clear allusion to data and studies from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) which, in its latest report on the climate situation in 2020, said last year was one of the three most hottest ever.

“The covid pandemic has taught us this interdependence, this sharing of the planet. Yes the two global disasters, covid and weather, show that there is no waiting. (…) It’s time to act. We are at the limit, ”said Francisco.

The Pope referred to a Spanish saying: “God always forgives. Men forgive from time to time. Nature no longer forgives ”. This destruction of nature “is very difficult to stop, but we still have time. And we will be more resilient when we work together rather than alone ”(…) “The adversity that we are living with the pandemic and that we are already feeling in the face of climate change, must lead us to innovation, to seek new avenues.. A crisis does not come out the same way. We come out better or worse. That’s the challenge and if we don’t improve, we will take the path of self-destruction, ”Francisco continued.

The Argentine Pope concluded his message by calling on “all the leaders of the world to act with courage, justice and always speak the truth to the people so that people know how to protect themselves from the destruction of the planet, how to protect the planet. of the destruction that we unleash several times ”.

In the encyclical “Laudato si”, on the care of the common home, François also called on the whole “human family” to seek an integral and sustainable development. And in the text, he alludes to the responsibilities of international politics and the economy in the degradation of nature. According to Francisco, there are certain things in nature that are common goods like the climate and clean water, and the latter is also an essential human right.

Many other world leaders have insisted on the need to take care of the planet and the climate. Among them, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, who recently referred to the WMO report. “We have no time to waste. The climate is changing and the impact of this climate change has a high cost for humans and the planet. Countries must commit to reducing emissions (of CO2 but not only , ndr) before 2050, “said Guterrez.” In 2021, the second largest increase in emissions ever recorded in history could be recorded (the first dates back to 2010, after the financial crisis of 2008-2009), largely driven by the use of coal and oil in countries. try to contribute to the rapid growth of the economy affected by the covid ”, concluded the UN secretary.

We will have to wait for the conclusions of the world summit convened by Biden, which will end on the 23rd, to see where climate change could evolve.