Warming world nearing 'point of no return', says Pope Francis ahead of COP28 climate change conference
The Pope, Francis expressed his concern about the impending threat of climate change to global leaders and requested them to take action before it becomes too late. He cautioned that the world is inching closer to a stage where the damage caused to the environment could be irreversible.
The pope recently released a document called "Praise God" ahead of the upcoming COP28 climate change conference. In this document, he expressed his concern that the shift towards renewable energy from fossil fuels was not happening quickly enough.
The advocacy for a shift towards clean energy involves the integration of scientific, diplomatic, and theological elements.
The leader of the Catholic Church emphasized the damage being done to the Earth and its inhabitants, stating that it cannot be undone. He also mentioned that those who are poorest and most susceptible are suffering the most consequences.
Pope Francis stated that it is no longer possible to stop the extensive harm that we have induced. Our time to prevent further devastating destruction is limited, according to him.
The octogenarian supported alterations to the "reckless way of living associated with the Western example" that, according to him, would cause lasting effects on the planet's state.
The article is a revision of his significant letter "Laudato Si" from 2015. The letter was written to encourage world leaders to take action before the start of the Paris climate conference. The updated version emphasizes the importance of preserving the natural environment, showing compassion towards others, and highlighting the connection between God, humans, and the Earth.
Learn more: Switzerland has experienced a significant loss of its glaciers within a short period of 2 years. Also, Pope Francis expresses his view that Europe is not facing a migrant crisis.
The Pope believed that an update was needed since the reaction to the crisis had not been satisfactory. He referred to a world that is falling apart and is on the brink of collapse.
During the 2015 Paris Agreement, officials made a commitment to restrict the escalation of worldwide temperatures to less than 2C higher than the levels seen before industries were present, as well as searching for ways to limit the growth to 1.5C.
The pontiff expressed his sorrow over the goal, stating that it would be achieved rapidly at 3 degrees Celsius. He also mentioned various ecological catastrophes and severe climate patterns all around the world.
He mentioned that though we may not arrive at the critical point of no return, the results would be catastrophic nonetheless. This would require immediate and drastic actions that come at a great expense, leading to unfavorable impacts on the economy and society.
He presented evidence indicating that there has been a surge in emissions leading to a rise in the overall temperature of the planet ever since Industrialization, especially in the last 50 years.
Many parts of the world have been hit by intense heatwaves, floods and storms causing loss of life in the thousands over the course of the past 12 months.
According to advanced computer models, a severe spike in global warming might cause a major catastrophe in 250 million years, destroying all mammals (including humans) and rendering the earth lifeless due to soaring temperatures reaching 70C (158F).
