National Journal. Pope Francis has unveiled an encyclical—a rare and influential Vatican statement—on climate change and the environment, Clare Foran and Jason Plautz writes.
Pope Francis – Photo: Jacopo Werther Wikimedia Commons
”The highly anticipated document says that global warming is real, is caused partly by human activity, and is a grave threat to humanity. The Vatican hopes it will pave the way for a strong international climate deal later this year when diplomats descend on Paris for United Nations talks. But Pope Francis wants the encyclical to be read by everyone—and the Vatican hopes that the document will influence much more than just the Paris talks.”
”For Pope Francis, caring about the environment goes hand in hand with taking a strong stand against abortion. ”Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion,” the encyclical says.”