Pope takes green message to UN
The Pope, Benedict XVI is expected to use his first address to the United Nations in New York to talk about the importance of dealing with climate change. His message will deliver a powerful warning over global warming and make the issue of protecting the environment a ‘moral’ cause for the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict is by far the most environmentally aware and active world leader, even though he is not a politician, he has authority over 19% of the world’s population, among them 73 million Americans. Where he leads, hopefully the world’s Catholics will follow. The head of the Catholic Church in the UK, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, said last night: “This is a crucial issue both today and for all future generations. We are the stewards of creation and we need to take that responsibility seriously and co-operate to care for the created world.”
The Pope has taken the environmental issue to heart, and has made the Vatican the world’s first carbon neutral state. The Vatican has planted a forest in Hungary to offset all of its carbon emissions and has even installed solar panels on the roof of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Let’s hope the Pope’s message is heard around the world.
