Income inequality isn’t the only important issue Pope Francis is taking on. Add environmental protection to the list as the Argentinian-born leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics has begun drafting an encyclical on ecology, according to the Vatican. A Papal encyclical — a letter addressing some form of Catholic doctrine — carries much weight in the religion and addressing man’s relationship to the environment could have a major impact in global efforts to address climate change.
Image of the Vatican / Shutterstock
Jorge Mario Bergoglio has a history of addressing environmental issues, starting with the fact that he named himself after St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment. Francis spoke about why he chose the name shortly after his election on March 13th, saying the saint “teaches us profound respect for the whole of creation and the protection of our environment, which all too often, instead of using for the good, we exploit greedily, to one another’s detriment.”
The pope has also reduced his carbon footprint by riding the bus and publicly opposes fracking. He has also, according to the Washington Post, frequently criticized modern society’s wasteful nature. Details of the upcoming Encyclical are scarce, but it is expected what the pope calls “the ecology of man.”
Lead image via PopeofHearts