Focusing on Climate Change

Pope Francis made addressing climate change a priority of his pontificate, portraying it as a moral and ethical obligation directly tied to caring for God’s creation and protection of the most vulnerable. He dedicated his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ to care for the environment. While many Church leaders echoed his concerns, others said the emphasis exceeds the religious scope of the Church, questioned the Pope’s solutions, and doubted the science of climate change.