Pope Francis Underscores Our Moral Obligation to Act on Climate

WASHINGTON (September 21, 2015) — The following is a statement by Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, on the upcoming historic visit to the United States by Pope Francis:

"Pope Francis is a man of faith, not politics. His robe is white, not red or blue. And he comes to Washington to single out no party or partisan caucus or base. Regardless of our faith, he's said, our economic station or political preference, we have a moral obligation to be responsible stewards of the earth we share and the natural systems upon which all life depends.

"We have a moral obligation to future generations, to safeguard their natural inheritance, set an example for them and leave them a livable planet.

"And we have a moral obligation; the pope makes clear, to those people already paying a high price for climate change, the sick and impoverished, communities of color and others living on the front lines of environmental degradation worldwide."

Here is a link to a Rhea Suh blog on Pope Francis' U.S. trip: https://medium.com/natural-resources-defense-council/a-moral-obligation-eaee53247568