The late Pope Francis supported global climate agreements, advocated for Indigenous people and inspired activism
Pope Francis receives a plant offered by an Amazon native as he celebrates the closing mass of the Synod on Amazonia on October 27, 2019 at the Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. The death of Pope Francis has been announced by the Vatican. I first met the late Pope Francis at the Vatican after a conference called Saving Our Common Home and the Future of Life on Earth in July 2018. My colleagues and I sensed something momentous was happening at the heart of the church. At that time, I was helping to set up the new Laudato Si' research institute at the Jesuit Hall at the University of Oxford. This institute is named after the pope's 2015 encyclical (a letter to bishops outlining church policy) on climate change. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Its mission is rooted in the pope's religiously inspired vision of integral ecology– a multidisciplinary approach that addresses social and ecological issues of equality and climate breakdown. Originating from Argentina, Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope, witnessed firsthand the destruction of the Amazon and the plight of South America's poorest communities. His concern for justice for vulnerable communities and protection of the planet go hand in hand with his religious leadership. In his first papal letter, Laudato Si', he called for all people, not just Catholics, to pay more attention to the frailty of both our planet and its people. What we need is no less than a cultural revolution, he wrote. As a theologian, I recognise that he inspired significant change in three key ways. 1. At global climate summits It's no coincidence that Pope Francis…