Tuesday 15 December 2020

Pope announces commitment for net zero Vatican by 2050

Pope Francis has committed the Vatican to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The Pope said the Vatican would meet that goal by employing solutions to encourage energy efficiency, sustainable transportation. reforestation and waste recycling.

Delivering an address on the virtual UN's Climate Ambition Summit, he said the current pandemic and climate change most signficantly affect the life of the poorest and most fragile and is now is the time to change direction.

He added it is the responsibility of world leaders to promote a culture of care and implement a strategy to reduce net emissions to zero.

Pope Francis noted the steps the Vatican had already taken, including launching the Global Education Pact, an initiative which calls for education to create a new culture to protect the whole world.

He said: "The moment has come for a change of direction. Let us not rob the new generations of their hope in a better future."