As tributes pour in for Pope Francis, who died at 88, just hours after he made an Easter Sunday appearance in St. Peter’s Square, one thing is clear: Environmental activism is a key part of his legacy.
Pope Francis was well versed in the scientific and moral issues at the heart of the climate crisis and he did not hesitate to call out the people and systems he believed to be at fault. He used his pulpit to inspire world leaders to respond, singling out wealthier nations. Last year, at a climate resilience summit in the Vatican, Pope Francis pleaded, “There is a need to act with urgency, compassion, and determination, since the stakes could not be higher.”
Here are five ways the first “Climate Pope” used his vast influence to defend the planet and those suffering the worst effects of climate change.
1. Pope Francis favored public transportation.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 1936, Pope Francis was known for embodying humility and austerity. After he was named Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, he chose to cook his own meals and live in an ordinary apartment rather than a palace. And, instead of having a driver, he traversed the Argentine city by bus and subway to be closer to everyday people. Throughout his life, Pope Francis held a special place in his heart for trains and railways as a means of connection and ecological stewardship. In 2015, he made the papal summer palace more accessible to the public by reopening the Vatican–Castel Gandolfo line. And he was the first pope to travel by city tram while in Krakow for World Youth Day in 2016.
2. His namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, was the patron saint of ecology.
After a pope is elected as head of the Catholic Church, they select a new papal name. In 2013, Cardinal Bergoglio became the first to choose to be named after St. Francis of Assisi. Like Pope Francis, Francis of Assisi was known for his life of simplicity and love for all, especially the poor and vulnerable. He was also the patron saint of ecology and those who promote ecology. One of his prayer poems inspired Pope Francis’s groundbreaking 2015 encyclical letter on the environment “Laudato Si [Praised Be to You], On Care for Our Common Home”.
3. Pope Francis rooted urgency for climate action in science and spirituality.
“Laudato Si” is considered one of Pope Francis’ most impactful works. Although he once worked as a chemist, the pope wrote in simple, not academic, language. The encyclical presents fact-based arguments on climate change, and sounds the alarm on threats to the water supply and biodiversity. It also explains how ecology fits into a tangled web of complex social, political, and economic challenges. In addition to laying out a scientific case, “Laudato Si” offers poetic reflections on why caring for the earth is a moral obligation and how “everything in the world is connected.” It explains how the global climate is a “moral good, belonging to all and meant for all.”
4. Pope Francis helped shape climate policy around the world.
“Laudato Si” did more than increase environmental activism among Catholics. It is credited as a galvanizing force leading up to the 2015 Paris Agreement, the landmark UN treaty adopted by 196 countries. During the following decade, Pope Francis continued to take aim at those who prioritize pollution and exploit natural resources. He condemned brutal wealth distribution and rising inequality, and the pursuit of technological progress and growth above all else. In 2023, Pope Francis wrote a blunt update to “Laudato Si” leading up to the UN climate conference in Dubai, “Laudate Deum,” expressing his “heartfelt concerns about the care of our common home.” He lamented that “…our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point.”
5. Even in death, Pope Francis draws worldwide attention to the climate crisis.
Pope Francis requested a simplified burial compared to previous popes. As these funeral preparations are being made, people around the world are praising his climate advocacy and leadership. Even in death, Pope Francis is keeping the critical topic of climate destruction at the forefront of global conversation–and at the very moment the environmental protections he advocated for continue to be rolled back in the United States. It’s hard not to wonder what will happen now. A Washington Post headline asks, “Francis was the first climate pope. Who will take up his mantle?” Even if the next pope doesn’t follow in Francis’ considerable environmental footsteps, there are already many people taking up his mantle, including the youth climate activists the pope took time to thank, praise, and encourage.
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