Leonardo DiCaprio
Pope Francis was a transformational leader — not only for the Catholic Church, but also for environmental reform and activism. He demonstrated a deep and unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship, most notably through his groundbreaking 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’. This powerful document served as a clarion call for a fundamental shift in how we relate to the planet. Emphasizing the interconnectedness of all life, Pope Francis urged individuals, communities, institutions, and world leaders to unite in caring for our common home. His words helped catalyze momentum ahead of the global 2015 COP21 conference, ultimately contributing to the formation of the Paris Agreement. During the filming of my documentary Before the Flood in 2016, I had the honor of sitting down with Pope Francis for a conversation on the urgent need to address climate change. That experience was enlightening, deeply moving and thought provoking. In 2023, Pope Francis expanded upon Laudato Si’ with the publication of Laudate Deum: Apostolic Exhortation on the Climate Crisis. In it, he renewed his call for immediate and decisive climate action, reminding us that “we are part of Nature, included in it and thus in constant interaction with it,” and that we must not view the world from the outside, but from within. Pope Francis was one of the most extraordinary spiritual leaders of our time. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of environmentalists around the world. May he rest in peace. Photos: L’Osservatore Romano
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