VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Friday called the people across the world to better save the environment, ahead of a 12-day trip to Southeast Asia next week in which the top Catholic cleric is expected to urge global action on climate change.
In a video message he said the high temperature tells us that the Earth has a fever and it is sick. “We must commit ourselves to … the protection of nature, changing our personal and community habits,” note the pope.
Francis releases a video message every month to announce his prayer intentions for that month. The intention for September is “for the cry of the Earth.”
The 87-year-old leader of the Catholic Church leaves for a four-country visit including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore on Monday.
Francis has stressed the significance of environmental issues throughout his 11-year papacy. Each of the nations on his September 2-13 tour are facing threats from the warming global climate, including rising sea levels and increasingly massive and unpredictable heat waves and typhoons.
In his video, Francis said climate change required practical actions “that are not only ecological, but are also social, economic and political.”
The Pope said poor are the ones suffering most from the consequences of these disasters or those who are forced to leave their homes because of floods, heat waves or drought.
