On Wednesday 4 October, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis issued his Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum. It gives an assessment of the climate crisis and urges a change in international politics.

It underlines the importance of making real progress at the upcoming COP28 summit in Dubai. Laudate Deum also stresses the truth that climate change is human induced and addresses those who deny this. It calls on people of all religions to respond by taking care of creation and living simpler lives.

Eight years have passed since I published the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, when I wanted to share with all of you, my brothers and sisters of our suffering planet, my heartfelt concerns about the care of our common home. Yet, with the passage of time, I have realized that our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point

Pope Francis (LD #2)