Pope Francis called on world leaders to achieve a breakthrough at the climate summit in Dubai, “because the climate has gone crazy.” “Let us choose life, let us choose the future. Let us listen to the cry of the earth, listen to the plea of ​​the poor, and let us respond to the hopes and dreams of our children.” communicate.

The 86-year-old Pope would have liked to address the attending world leaders in person, but he suffers from bronchitis, which means he cannot leave the Vatican. Cardinal Secretary Parolin, the highest-ranking official in the Roman Catholic Church after the pope, delivered his remarks. “I am with you more than ever, because our future depends on what we choose now. I am with you because destroying the environment is a crime against God.”

The Pope also describes climate change as a global social challenge, one that is closely related to questions related to a dignified life. “I am here to ask you the question we must answer now: Are we committed to a culture of life or a culture of death?”

He says it is clear that global warming is mainly due to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, due to human activity “which has proven unsustainable for the ecosystem in recent decades.” “The desire to produce and own property has become an obsession. It has led to excessive greed that has made the environment a target for unbridled exploitation.”

In order to combat climate change, the Pope calls on the world to continue the energy transition and “eliminate fossil fuels.” He also believes that people should do something about their extravagant lifestyle. “I hope this summit will be a turning point, showing that political will can accelerate the environmental transition.”

The Pope also spoke about the difference between poor and rich countries. Especially since rich and developed countries with their emissions are also responsible for climate problems in poor countries. “The poor are the real victims of what is happening: we must think of the plight of indigenous peoples, of deforestation and the tragedy of hunger, water shortages and forced migration.”

In follow-up to one of the main talking points of this summit – financing poor countries – the Pope pointed to the richest countries. “We must think about the effects of the few countries responsible for the disturbing ‘environmental debts’ of many other countries. It would be fair to find appropriate means to cancel the financial debts of those countries,” the Pope said.