Pope Francis hits out at 'irresponsible' lifestyles as he wades into eco row
Pope Francis has condemned 'the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model' which he claims has caused climate change
Reuters
Pope Francis has condemned "the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model" which he claims has caused climate change.
On Wednesday, he urged world leaders to commit to eco-targets in a bid to slow climate change.
The pontiff also warned that God's rapidly warming creation is fast reaching a "point of no return".
Francis waded in on the eco row as he explained that the world's poor and most vulnerable are paying the highest price.
Francis waded in on the eco row as he explained that the world's poor and most vulnerable are paying the highest price
Reuters
He said: "We are now unable to halt the enormous damage we have caused. We barely have time to prevent even more tragic damage."
The Pope added that per-capita emissions in the US are twice as high as China and seven times greater than the average in poor countries.
"We can state that a broad change in the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model would have a significant long-term impact," he said.
The document, Praise God, was released in the hope of inspiring negotiators to commit to binding climate targets at the next round of UN discussions in Dubai.
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He said: "What is being asked of us is nothing other than a certain responsibility for the legacy we will leave behind, once we pass from this world."
Using scientific data, Francis shared an imperative for the world to transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy with measures that are "efficient, obligatory and readily monitored".
Following his 2015 encyclical "Praise Be", the Pope said he felt an update was required because "our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point".
He condemned people who doubted mainstream climate science about greenhouse gas emissions.
The document, Praise God, was released in the hope of inspiring negotiators to commit to binding climate targets at the next round of UN discussions in Dubai
Reuters
He said: "It is no longer possible to doubt the human - 'anthropic' - origin of climate change."
The Pope added: "Praise God is the title of this letter. For when human beings claim to take God's place, they become their own worst enemies."
The next round of UN climate talks begin November 30 in Dubai.