Belém, Brazil (dpa) – Pope Leo XIV on Monday criticized what he described as a lack of political will of some countries in addressing the global climate crisis.
“What is failing is the political will of some,” he said in a video message at the start of the decisive final week of the UN Climate Conference (COP30) in Brazil.
He praised the progress made under the Paris Agreement, signed 10 years ago, and stressed that “it is not the agreement that is failing, we are failing in our response.”
His home country, the United States, withdrew from the Paris Agreement under President Donald Trump.
The pope warned of the climate impacts already being felt around the world.
“Creation is crying out in floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat,” he said, adding that “one in three people live in great vulnerability because of these climate changes.”
At COP30, around 200 countries are discussing how global warming can be curbed more quickly.
The pontiff urged negotiators to show greater ambition. There was still time to keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius, he said, “but the window is closing.”
“As stewards of god’s creation, we are called to act swiftly, with faith and prophecy, to protect the gift he entrusted to us,” the pope said.
GNA