Pope Leo XIV on Nov 17 called for urgent and concrete action on climate change, criticizing world leaders for lacking the political will to tackle the crisis. Speaking to southern hemisphere churches on the sidelines of the COP30 summit in Belem, Brazil, he highlighted the Amazon as “a living symbol of creation with an urgent need for care” and warned that “creation is crying out in floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat.”
“One in three people live in great vulnerability because of these climate changes. To them, climate change is not a distant threat, and to ignore these people is to deny our shared humanity,” the pope said. He stressed that while there is still time to limit global warming to 1.5°C, “the window is closing” and called for nations to uphold the landmark Paris Agreement.
The pope emphasized that true leadership requires service and support that can make a tangible difference, urging countries to send “a clear global signal… standing in unwavering solidarity behind the Paris Agreement and climate cooperation.” Since becoming pope in May, the Chicago-born pontiff, who spent 20 years as a missionary in Peru, has repeatedly pressed governments to step up climate action and protect vulnerable communities.
COP30 negotiations are entering their final stages, with disagreements remaining over climate ambition, trade measures, finance, and fossil fuel phase-out roadmaps. UN climate chief Simon Stiell praised Pope Leo’s remarks as “a strong message” urging hope and decisive action to combat climate change.
