Pope Francis regretfully canceled his planned trip to Dubai for the U.N. climate conference on the advice of doctors, as disclosed by the Vatican.

The cancellation follows  Pope's recent battle with the flu and respiratory inflammation. Despite expressing his commitment to addressing the COP28 climate change conference during an announcement on Sunday, health concerns have compelled him to reconsider.

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni conveyed that Pope Francis, who had already been on the path to recovery from the flu and respiratory tract inflammation that led to the cancellation of his audiences on Saturday, was advised against the forthcoming journey to Dubai. "The doctors have asked the pope not to make the trip planned for the coming days to Dubai," Bruni stated, noting that  Pope accepted this recommendation with great regret, leading to the official cancellation of the trip.

Pope Francis, having undergone the removal of part of one lung during his youth, remains a prominent figure on the global stage, and his commitment to addressing urgent issues such as climate change has been a focal point of his papacy.