What will Pope Francis say to the UN in New York City?

2015-08-22

The UN is celebrating its 70 anniversary with great challenges ahead. Among them, is addressing the environment and climate change. An issue the Pope considers of utmost importance.

On the 25th of September, he will address the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. There he will have the opportunity to speak directly to representatives from all over the world, touching on the themes he addressed in his encyclical. It will be a crucial moment in his trip to the U.S.


JEFFREY SACHS
Earth Institute, Columbia University (USA)
"Thrilling, absolutely thrilling. It's not only this unique opportunity of the Pope meeting world leaders, it's also the day that the new sustainable development goals will be adopted. So that is a fantastic opportunity for everybody to be aware of what he is saying and how we need to change direction.”


Jeffrey Sachs is an expert on the environment, an adviser to the UN and the director of Columbia University's Earth Institute. He was one of 200 people who helped Pope Francis write the encyclical. He expects that the pontiff's intervention in New York will be decisive in raising awareness, spurring them to take action in the environmental summit meeting in Paris.

JEFFREY SACHS
Earth Institute, Columbia University (USA)
"'Laudato Si' is a brilliant and inspiring encyclical. It is already reaching all over the world. It is calling for a fundamentally new mindset, and I think it's going to have a profound and transformative effect”.


The Pope said that it is not only a green encyclical, but also a social one, since environmental problems and human problems are linked. It's a theme the Pope highlighted as he addressed the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, back in November.


POPE FRANCIS
November 25, 2014
"God always forgives, people sometimes forgive, the earth never forgives.”


Before the UN, Pope Francis will address not only climate change, but also peace, social inclusion and development. It will be
a key opportunity to urge global leaders to take action.


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