- Pope Francis said the project means that there is no hope as it means exposing all humanity especially the poorest to the worst impacts of climate change.
- He said despite the many negotiations and agreements that have always been held global emissions continue to increase.
Image: FILE
The head of the Catholic church Pope Francis has said COP28 should represent a change of direction to show that everything done since 1992 was worth the effort.
In his letter to Laudate Deum, he said failure to do that would be a great disappointment and jeopardize whatever good has been achieved thus far.
"The United Arab Emirates will host COP28. It is a country in the Persian Gulf known as a great exporter of fossil fuels. Although it has made significant investments in renewable energy sources, gas and oil companies are planning new projects there, with the aim of further increasing their production," he said.
Pope Francis said the project means that there is no hope as it means exposing all humanity especially the poorest to the worst impacts of climate change.
He said despite the many negotiations and agreements that have always been held global emissions continue to increase.
The head of the Catholic church said people must move beyond the mentality of appearing to be concerned but not having the courage to produce substantial changes.
"We know that at this pace in just a few years, we will surpass the maximum recommended limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius and shortly thereafter even reach 3 degrees Celsius, with a high risk of arriving at a critical point," he said.
Pope Francis said efforts at adaptation are needed in the face of irreversible evils in the short term.
He also said some interventions and technological advances that make absorbing or capturing gas emissions possible have proved promising.
"I consider it essential to insist that to seek only a technical remedy to each environmental problem which comes up is to separate what is in reality interconnected and to mask the true and deepest problems of the global system," Pope Francis said.
He said we should put an end to the irresponsible derision that would present the issue as something purely ecological, and frequently subject to ridicule by economic interests.
The head of the catholic church said it is finally time to admit that the climate crisis is a human and social problem on any number of levels.
It is for this reason that he said it calls for involvement on the part of all.
"In Conferences on the climate, the actions of groups negatively portrayed as radicalized tend to attract attention. If there is sincere interest in making COP28 a historic event that honours and ennobles us as human beings, then one can only hope for binding forms of energy transition," he said.
He asked those taking part in the Conference to be strategists capable of considering the future more than the short-term interests of certain countries or businesses.
He said they may demonstrate the nobility of politics and not its shame.
"To the powerful, I can only repeat this question, what would induce anyone at this stage to hold on to power, only to be remembered for their inability to take action when it was urgent and necessary to do so?" the Pope asked.