Pope Benedict: human development requires fighting climate change & poverty
In his 2012 message to the Vatican's diplomatic corps, the Holy Father said that environmental protection and the connection between fighting poverty and fighting climate change are important areas for the promotion of integral human development.
He noted that: "education, correctly understood, cannot fail to foster respect for creation. We cannot disregard the grave natural calamities which in 2011 affected various regions of South-East Asia, or ecological disasters like that of the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan."
Pope Benedict concluded: "I hope that, pursuant to the…recently concluded [climate change negotiations] in Durban, the international community will prepare for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development ("Rio + 20") as an authentic 'family of nations' and thus with a great sense of solidarity and responsibility towards present and future generations."
To read the full text of Pope Benedict's statement to the diplomatic corps, see: http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/28642.php?index=28642&lang=it#TRADUZIONE%20IN%20LINGUA%20INGLESE