Environment & Laudato Si'

The East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline would be the world’s longest heated oil pipeline. But the International Energy Agency has already called for no new fossil-fuel projects. Activists, including Vanessa Nakate, recently visited Pope Francis and received his full support ahead of Laudato si’ Week.

Marking the seventh anniversary of the encyclical Laudato si', we look at what fruits it has yielded so far and at how Pope Francis' prophetic words have set processes into motion in every field referred to by the text. It has challenged leaders as well as children, and transformed an “urgency” into a “habit”: caring for our Common Home and for all of its creatures.

Catholics of all ages are called to form strong faith communities, listen to and dialogue with others, reach out to share the Gospel and work to protect the environment, Pope Francis said in a series of speeches May 21.

Laudato si’ Week, which takes place from the 22-29 May celebrates the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical on the care of creation, and focuses on the seven objectives pursued in the Laudato si’ Action Platform.

Celebrating the launch of the Scholas International Educational Movement and its environmental project, Pope Francis encouraged young people, especially women, to lead the charge in fighting climate change.

In a new report published on Tuesday by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), it warns that humanity is on “spiral of self-destruction” as disasters rise.