Today in Rome, Pope Francis presented his encyclical "Laudato Si" on environmental protection and climate action. Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks commented:
"I am very grateful to Pope Francis for expressing his opinion on this subject. The clear language of this encyclical and depth of thought provides impulses that will resonate far beyond the catholic world. This encyclical is an incentive for everybody to actively engage in environmental protection and climate action. I hope that his arguments have made an impression on people, particularly those in conservative circles who try to play down the volatile nature of climate change.
Pope Francis said we must "hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor". This, for me, is a key point: Ecological issues and social issues are closely linked. The costs of environmental degradation and climate change are being paid, first and foremost, by the poor. This is the case across the world as well as in our country. Wealthy people and countries place considerably more pressure on the environment. They therefore have a special responsibility to set a good example and adapt their lives to respect the ecological boundaries of our planet. This means, first of all: We must, little by little, phase out the use of fossil fuels. We need to pave the way for alternatives to coal, oil and gas for energy generation. I am very pleased that Pope Francis shares this concern.
Today, there are many different sets of beliefs in which we can choose to believe or indeed not to believe. I personally believe that Christian ethics wonderfully describe the place of humans on this earth: We have borrowed this earth and it is entrusted to us. But it does not belong to us. This means we must take care of it together, we must enjoy the richness it offers but ensure that we leave a good world behind for coming generations. This is often forgotten in a society driven by economic growth and maximising profits."