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“Effective answers to the ecological crisis,” asks Pope Francis

Urgently give “effective answers to ecological crisis»Ο Pope Francis leaders from around the world who will participate in UN Climate Summit COP26, which begins the day after Sunday in Glasgow.

“Political decision-makers meeting during COP26 in Glasgow are urgently called upon to provide effective responses to the current ecological crisis and thus offer a real hope to future generations, “he said in a speech broadcast on the BBC.

Starting Sunday, representatives of about 200 countries are meeting for two weeks at COP26 to try to agree on how to further reduce their countries’ carbon dioxide emissions, in the hope of reducing climate overheating below 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era. For many, this UN summit is the last chance to achieve this.

Pope Francis warned of “an unprecedented threat climate change and the degradation of our common home. ” But, as he said, this “sequence of crises”, environmental, economic, humanitarian and health, that are currently affecting the planet is also, perhaps, a point of time “opportunities” that we must seize, “that we must not waste” .

“The most important lesson we can learn from these crises is our need to build together so that there are no more borders, fences or political walls behind which we could hide,” he said, denouncing the fold in isolation. , protectionism and exploitation “. “We will never get out of the crisis alone, without the others.”

The 84-year-old pope, according to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, will not enter the COP26 negotiations himself, but Cardinal Pietro Parolin, second in the Vatican hierarchy, will head the Holy See delegation.

However, Francisco will meet today, on the sidelines of the G20, US President Joe Biden, who is a devout Catholic, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, before a first four-on-four the next day with Indian President Narendra Modi. Earlier this month, Pope Francis joined forces with nearly 40 religious leaders to call on governments at COP26 to take “urgent, radical and responsible action” to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. greenhouse effect.

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