ROME — Pope Francis has signed a joint declaration together with Indonesia’s Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar, in which they denounce the “crisis” of climate change.
“Our world is clearly facing two serious crises, dehumanization and climate change,” the declaration reads.
“The human exploitation of creation, our common home, has contributed to climate change, leading to various destructive consequences, such as natural disasters, global warming, and unpredictable weather patterns,” states the text, which was read aloud and signed in Southeast Asia’s largest mosque.
The Istiqlal Joint Declaration 2024, subtitled “Fostering Religious Harmony for the Sake of Humanity,” asserts that the “ongoing environmental crisis has become an obstacle to the harmonious coexistence of people.”
“We sincerely call on all people of good will to take decisive action in order to maintain the integrity of the natural environment and its resources,” it reads, “for we have inherited them from the past generations and hope to pass them on to our children and grandchildren.”
Pope Francis is currently in Jakarta, Indonesia, in the midst of the longest trip of his 11-year pontificate. He plans to visit four countries in the Asia Pacific over 12 days, the most continuous time he has spent away from the Vatican since his election in 2013.
