Holy See

Although the Holy See does not have the political weight and money to tackle the global climate crisis concretely, it does have the moral authority to call upon states and world leaders to act. This is evidenced by several statements made by Pope Francis and other officials of the Holy See. For instance, in a message during COP 28, Pope Francis called on states to end the use and production of fossil fuels. The Pope also referred to the destruction of the environment as an “offense against God” and a “sin that greatly endangers all human beings”. Therefore, the Holy See calls for policies to phase out fossil fuels, reduce carbon emissions -while The Pope also does not support carbon credits-, switch to renewable energy and increase energy efficiency. 

According to The Pope; “The failure to reach a global agreement on the environment is evidence that our politics are subject to too many special and economic interests, which overpower the common good in favor of profits”.  He reframes the climate crisis as a moral issue, where the profit-based market is especially amoral, and which can only be solved by preventing social degradation as well as environmental degradation.
 

The Vatican City State, over which the Holy See presides, is one of the least polluting countries in the world. In 2011, the country emitted nearly 19,94 kt CO2, of which around a quarter was due to the gas and oil used for the heating of the country's buildings.