Pope Francis instructs Catholics to act on Climate Change

Pope Francis to tell over 1.2 billion Catholics why acting on climate change is essential to the faith.

In 2015 Pope Francis and will address the U.N. General Assembly in a New York, personally lobbying political and faith leaders, in the lead up to Paris COP 2015.

Think Progress Explains :

"While it isn't certain what exactly he will tell these leaders, it will likely be similar to what he has been telling Catholics everywhere since the beginning of his papacy. Earlier this year, Francis told a massive crowd in Rome, “if we destroy Creation, Creation will destroy us!" He has called the destruction of the rainforest a “sin," and under his leadership, the Church held a five-day summit with scientists, economists, philosophers, astronomers, and other experts to explore ways the Catholic church could address climate and sustainability.

Earlier this month during the climate talks in Lima, Catholic bishops from every continent called for “an end to the fossil fuel era." This follows, they said, the need to prioritize “the immediate needs of the most vulnerable communities." Addressing the causes and effects of climate change is a moral and social justice issue for them, as the impacts of a changing climate will disproportionately affect those who can least-ably adapt (and who did not emit most of the pollution in the first place)."

Last year Pope Francis wrote a letter to Tony Abbott emphasising the need for efforts to take action on climate change, eliminate causes of terrorism and prevent financial system abuse.

“Throughout the world, the G20 countries included, there are far too many women and men suffering from severe malnutrition, a rise in the number of the unemployed, an extremely high percentage of young people without work and an increase in social exclusion which can lead to criminal activity and even the recruitment of terrorists,"

“In addition, there are constant assaults on the natural environment, the result of unbridled consumerism, and this will have serious consequences for the world economy."

“I express these hopes in light of the post-2015 development agenda to be approved by the current session of the United Nations assembly, which ought to include the vital issues of decent work for all and climate change."

You can read more from the letter here.

We can't continue to wait for leaders to take action on climate change, we need to make better choices everyday through the way we live and the way spend our money.