The Holy Father also highlighted the connection between global warming and unsustainable human activity, pointing out that the excessive ambition to produce and possess has led to “unbridled exploitation” of the environment. The Pope affirmed that climate change is a warning to stop this “delusion of omnipotence” and advocated a return to “awareness, with humility and courage, of our limit.”
At another point, Francis addressed the divisions that exist in the international community and the need to overcome national interests in favor of the global common good. He urged the rebuilding of trust and the strengthening of multilateralism, stressing that “an interconnected world cannot be detached from those who govern it.”
The Pontiff also challenged narratives that blame the poor, “who are the victims of what is happening,” or the population growth of the climate crisis, highlighting that responsibility falls on everyone. He advocated for the forgiveness of the economic debt of overburdened countries, “taking into account the ecological debt that exists in their favor.”