Pope Francis was a climate hero to the core

‘Many of the poor live in areas particularly affected by phenomena related to warming, and their means of subsistence are largely dependent on natural reserves and ecosystemic services such as agriculture, fishing and forestry,’ Francis wrote

- Sammy Roth

Donald Trump announced his first run for president on June 16, 2015. He lashed out against Mexican immigrants, environmentalists and other supposed enemies foreign and domestic. Two days later, Pope Francis clapped back. Francis’ landmark climate change encyclical, “Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home,” wasn't meant as a response to Trump. But the 184-page teaching served as a powerful call to action. Francis preached urgency and compassion. He asked the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics to open their eyes to the connections between the climate crisis, poverty and selfishness.

A decade later, Trump is serving his second term and Francis is no longer with us, having died on Monday at 88. But the late pope’s words are more relevant than ever. As I reread “Laudato Si” in the hours following Francis’ death, I was struck by his nuanced discussion of extreme weather and sea level rise, and the need to phase out fossil fuels — and his understanding that global warming isn’t just an environmental problem. I was especially moved by his explanation for how rising temperatures hurt society's poorest families and nations most of all.