[Guardian] The climate emergency is a "challenge of civilisation" requiring sweeping changes to economic systems, but political leaders have not done enough, the pope has said in a message to governments meeting at the annual climate summit in Madrid."We must seriously ask ourselves if there is the political will to allocate with honesty, responsibility and courage, more human, financial and technological resources [to the climate crisis]," he said, in the pontifical message, which was welcomed by activists.
"Numerous studies tell us it is still possible to limit global warming. To do this we need a clear, far-sighted and strong political will, set on pursuing a new course that aims at refocusing financial and economic investments toward those areas that truly safeguard the conditions of a life worthy of humanity on a healthy planet for today and tomorrow."
He put particular emphasis on the role of young people, who "show a heightened sensitivity to the complex problems that arise from this emergency. We must not place the burden on the next generations to take on the problems caused by the previous ones."
As a small state, the Vatican has observer status at the talks, so the pope is able to send a representative but has no voting rights on key decisions. As an Argentinian, Pope Francis’s words carried particular resonance as this is still regarded as a Latin American COP, despite the last-minute change of venue from Chile to Madrid following political unrest in Santiago.