Mr. President,                                                 
Distinguished Heads of State and Government, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of Pope Leo XIV, I extend cordial greetings to all participants in the thirtieth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and assure you of his closeness, support and encouragement.

If you want to cultivate peace, care for creation. There is a clear link between peacebuilding and the stewardship for creation: “The quest for peace by people of good will surely would become easier if all acknowledge the indivisible relationship between God, human beings and the whole of creation.” [1]

While on the one hand, in these difficult times, the attention and concern of the international community seems to be mostly focused on conflicts among nations, on the other hand, there is also an ever growing  awareness that peace is also threatened by a lack of due respect for creation, by the plundering of natural resources and by a progressive decline in the quality of life because of climate change.

Due to their global nature, these challenges endanger the lives of everyone on this planet and therefore require international cooperation and a cohesive and forward-looking multilateralism which puts the sacredness of life, the God-given dignity of every human being and the common good at its center. Regrettably, we observe political approaches and human behaviors that go in the opposite direction, characterized by collective selfishness, disregard for others and short-sightedness.

“In the midst of a world that is in flames, as a result of both global warming and armed conflicts,” [2] this Conference should become a sign of hope, through the respect shown to the views of others in the joint endeavor to search for common language and consensus, while putting aside selfish interests, bearing in mind the responsibility for one another and for future generations.

Mr. President,

Already in the 1990s, Pope Saint John Paul II emphasized that the ecological crisis “is a moral issue” and, as such, it “reveals the urgent moral need for a new solidarity, especially in relations among the developing nations and those that are highly industrialized. States must increasingly share responsibility, in complementary ways, for the promotion of a natural and social environment that is both peaceful and healthy.” [3] Tragically, those in the most vulnerable situations are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation and pollution. Caring for creation, therefore, becomes an expression of humanity and solidarity.  

From this perspective, it is vital to turn words and reflections into choices and actions based on responsibility, justice and equity to achieve lasting peace by caring for creation and our neighbors.

Furthermore, as the climate crisis affects everyone, remedial actions should include local governments, mayors and governors, researchers, youth, entrepreneurs, faith-based organizations and NGOs.

Mr. President,

A decade ago, the international community adopted the Paris Agreement, recognizing the need for an effective and progressive response to the urgent threat of climate change. [4] Unfortunately, we must admit that the path to achieving the goals set out in that Agreement remains long and complex. Against this backdrop, State Parties are urged to courageously accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Ten years ago, Pope Francis signed the Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, in which he advocated for an ecological conversion that includes everyone, since “climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all. At the global level, it is a complex system linked to many of the essential conditions for human life.” [5]

May all the participants in this COP30, as well as those actively following its work, be inspired to embrace with courage this ecological conversion in thought and actions, bearing in mind the human face of the climate crisis.

May this ecological conversion inspire the development of a new human-centred international financial architecture that ensures all countries, especially the poorest and those most vulnerable to climate disasters, can reach their full potential and see the dignity of their citizens respected. This architecture should take into account also the link between ecological debt and foreign debt.

May an education in integral ecology be promoted that explains why decisions at the personal, family, community and political levels shape our common future, while raising awareness of the climate crisis and encouraging mindsets and lifestyles to better respect creation and safeguard the dignity of the person and the inviolability of human life. [6]

May all the participants in this COP30 commit themselves to protecting and caring for the creation entrusted to us by God in order to build a peaceful world.

I assure you of the prayers of the Holy Father as you make important decisions at this COP30 for the common good and for the future of humankind.

_______________________

[1] Pope Benedict XVI, Message for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace, 1 January 2010.

[2] Pope Leo XIV, Homily for the Holy Mass for the Care of Creation, Borgo Laudato Si’, Castel Gandolfo, 9 July 2025.

[3] Saint John Paul II, Message for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace “Peace with God the Creator, Peace with All of Creation,” 1 January 1990.

[4] Cf. Paris Agreement, Preamble.

[5] Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ , 23.

[6] Cf. Pope Benedict XVI, Message for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace, 1 January 2010.