The environment has gained unprecedented importance in the Church’s teaching, especially under Pope Francis’s leadership. The encyclical ‘Laudato Si’’ (2015) has been acclaimed as a milestone in ecological theology and has established the principle of integral ecology, which connects the environmental crisis with the social crisis and the exclusion of the poor.
Integral Ecology: For the Church, care for the environment cannot be separated from respect for human life and the struggle against poverty. The degradation of the planet disproportionately affects the most vulnerable, who depend directly on natural resources. Pope Francis calls for a change in mentality and an ecological conversion involving a new approach to the economy and development.
Practical Commitments: The Church has adopted a series of initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint and promote sustainability. From reforestation projects to the development of environmental policies in dioceses, the Church seeks to be a model of sustainability and a prophetic voice promoting global change.
