Brazil: Pope Leo XIV issued a stirring video address to bishops and cardinals from across the Global South attending COP30 in Brazil, urging them to unite as faithful “guardians of creation” and lead the world toward decisive climate action. His message came as thousands of delegates, leaders, scientists and faith representatives gathered in the Amazon region for what is widely seen as one of the most consequential climate conferences since the Paris Agreement.
As the first day of COP30’s second week concluded, Pope Leo connected virtually from Rome to the Museu das Amazônias, where Church leaders from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean were reflecting on the human and ecological devastation of climate change. The Pope praised their witness, describing them as “a prophetic voice” for the world, especially in an era where vulnerable communities face escalating climate emergencies.
“The Amazon remains a living symbol of creation, still breathing, still crying out for care,” he said. By aligning himself with the cardinals who have been advocating for the region at COP30, Pope Leo reaffirmed the Church’s priority: protecting the Earth’s most fragile ecosystems and the people who inhabit them.
Speaking from the iconic Amazonian museum, the Pope commended the bishops for choosing solidarity over despair. “You chose hope and action over resignation,” he said, applauding their commitment to global cooperation. But he cautioned that while the world has made real progress since the Paris Agreement, the advancements are insufficient to meet the scale of the crisis.
“Hope must be renewed not only through aspirations but through concrete deeds,” he insisted. He urged the Church and world leaders to resist complacency and act with renewed urgency, noting that every delay further endangers lives and ecosystems.
Pope Leo delivered a stark warning about the consequences of unchecked climate change. He described “creation crying out in floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat,” reminding listeners that such events have already pushed one in three people into severe climate vulnerability.
“To millions, climate change is not a prediction but a lived experience,” he said. Ignoring their suffering is, he emphasized, a betrayal of humanity’s shared responsibility. Although there is still time to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C, the window for effective intervention “is closing fast.”
“As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to act swiftly, with faith and prophetic courage,” he urged, underscoring the moral dimension of environmental action.
The Pope reaffirmed the Paris Agreement as the most vital mechanism for protecting both people and the planet. However, he emphasized that the agreement’s shortcomings stem not from its design but from a lack of political will.
“It is not the Agreement that is failing. We are failing in our response,” he declared. “True leadership means service and service demands boldness.” Stronger climate action, he added, would not only help stabilize the planet but also build fairer and more resilient economic systems worldwide.
He cautioned leaders not to view climate policy as a burden but as “an investment in a just and stable future.”
In a reflective closing, Pope Leo reminded the bishops that their mission is shared with countless scientists, activists, indigenous leaders, and policymakers from every nation.
“We walk alongside the wise and the brave,” he said, “as guardians of creation, not rivals for its spoils.” He called on those gathered to send a unified global message one of unwavering commitment to international climate cooperation and steadfast support for the Paris Agreement.
Following the video message, cardinals from the Global South presented a symbolic fishing net, a replica of the one gifted to Pope Francis during the 2019 Synod on the Amazon. Handwoven by several Indigenous communities, the net represented interconnectedness, peace, and the shared responsibility to protect creation.
The moment underscored the spirit of unity that Pope Leo XIV hoped the world would embrace — a vision in which humanity chooses collaboration over division, and action over denial.