Pope Francis has spoken out against climate change deniers, calling them “fools” in his first interview on American television.
The often “progressive” pontiff spoke with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell at the Vatican this week to express his views on the violence in Ukraine and Gaza and other important issues.
However, he made a determined effort to express his displeasure with climate change deniers when O’Donnell asked him what he says to climate change deniers.
‘There are people who are stupid, and even stupid if they show you their research. They don’t believe it,’ she said through an interpreter.
“They don’t understand the situation even out of interest, but climate change exists,” he added.
Pope Francis has spoken out against climate change deniers, calling them “fools” in his first interview on American television.
The pontiff spoke with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell at the Vatican this week to give his thoughts on the violence in Ukraine and Gaza and other important issues.
Climate change is “off the charts” and presents a “decisive challenge” to humanity, a damning new report warned in March.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says several climate records were broken and, in some cases, “shattered” last year.
Greenhouse gas levels, surface temperatures, ocean heat and acidification, sea level rise, and ice loss from Antarctica will increase in 2023 due to fossil fuel emissions.
“Sirens are sounding on all major indicators,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
“Some records are not just topping the charts, they are breaking them, and changes are accelerating.”
The year 2023 broke records in “all climate indicators.”
Pope Francis also said he speaks every night at a Gaza parish to discuss the current violence.
He said that food is brought to the region but that ‘we have to fight for it.’
“They don’t understand the situation or because of their interest, but climate change exists,” he said of climate deniers.
In an area near Wahweap Marina that was previously underwater in Lake Powell, the ground is dry and cracked on April 5, 2022 in Page, Arizona.
A dead fish carcass rests on dry land near the Lake Mead Marina during low water levels due to the western drought in Nevada in 2021
When asked what can be done for a million Gaza children facing hunger, he added that they and the children of Ukraine must be helped.
‘Those children don’t know how to smile. “It’s very difficult when a child forgets to smile,” she said.
His overall message was: “Please, countries at war, everyone, stop the war.” Seek to negotiate peace.
Researchers warn that extreme weather events such as floods, tropical cyclones, droughts and forest fires are linked to global warming and are therefore likely to continue to occur.
These will affect “vulnerable populations” in countries without the capacity to respond adequately and already affected by food insecurity, such as Somalia, Sudan and Syria.
“Climate change can intensify existing social and economic pressures and inequalities, putting more pressure on people and places that are already under pressure and who have often done the least to cause climate change,” said Dr . Leslie Mabon, professor of environmental systems at the Open University.
Professor Tina van de Flierdt, head of the Department of Engineering and Earth Sciences at Imperial College London, called the new report “alarming”.
“Overall, the report’s data reinforce that climate change is not a distant threat: it is here now and is already affecting lives around the world,” he said.
‘However, it is important to note that we are not yet locked into this trajectory.
“The future is in our hands, and ongoing climate projects and increased use of clean energy sources offer hope for a just and resilient future.”