Pope Francis was unfortunately unable to participate in person at COP28, however this morning his Address was read out to the COP28 delegates. The full transcript can be read here.

Pope Francis emphasised that climate change is “a global social issue and one intimately related to the dignity of human life” (Laudate Deum, 3) and appealed to the delegates: “[l]et us choose life! Let us choose the future!” Addressing global leadership he wrote “the task to which we are called today is not about yesterday, but about tomorrow: a tomorrow that, whether we like it or not, will belong to everyone or else to no one”. He noted how the responsibilities for emissions and environmental degradation are shouldered primarily by the poor – the very people who have emitted least. “The poor are the real victims of what is happening: we need think only of the plight of indigenous peoples, deforestation, the tragedies of hunger, water and food insecurity, and forced migration.” We must realise that we owe the poorest peoples an ecological debt so we must revisit the financial debt we require them to pay.

The only path forward is “the way of togetherness, multilateralism” and this needs trust “which is the foundation of multilateralism”. He repeated his appeal from the encyclical Fratelli Tutti: “[w]ith the money spent on weapons and other military expenditures, let us establish a global fund that can finally put an end to hunger” and added “and carry out works for the sustainable development of the poorer countries and for combating climate change”.

In an effort to get leaders to listen to the cry of the poor and in particular the youth, he encouraged an alternative vision of ecological conversion because “there are no lasting changes without cultural changes” (Laudate Deum, 70). The pontiff assured the delegates of “the commitment and support of the Catholic Church, which is deeply engaged in the work of education and of encouraging participation by all, as well as in promoting sound lifestyles, since all are responsible and the contribution of each is fundamental”.

Pope Francis called for renewed political will to make COP28 a “turning point”, and drive forwards the ecological transition with actions that are “efficient, obligatory and readily monitored” (Laudate Deum, 59) across the four sectors of “energy efficiency; renewable sources; the elimination of fossil fuels; and education in lifestyles that are less dependent on the latter”.

He completed his address by remembering the time of St Francis of Assisi’s writing of the Canticle of the Creatures and left the delegates with this call: “…with God’s help, let us emerge from the dark night of wars and environmental devastation in order to turn our common future into the dawn of a new and radiant day”.

The full transcript is available at https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2023/december/documents/20231202-dubai-cop28.html