Pope Francis' encyclical on the care for the environment was launched today at the Vatican. In it he urged the world to embark upon a revolutionary ethical rethink and change of heart in its relationship with the planet. Vatican sources have indicated that Laudato si’ – named after words of St Francis of Assisi in his Canticle of the Creatures – is a deliberate intervention in the debate over climate change in the run-up to three major UN summits, including that in Paris in December, where 196 countries will meet to sign a new agreement. The text warns of the threat to God’s creation particularly from climate change, and backed a reduction in the use of fossil fuels.
The Pope’s words are addressed not only to Catholics but to everyone, including governments and businesses who can make decisions that will limit global warming.
Read the encyclical here.
You'll find full coverage of the encylical – the politics, the spirituality, the influences and the role of St Francis of Assisi – in the 20 June issue of The Tablet.
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