Robert Francis Prevost, who was elected to serve as pope Thursday, has said humans should have a “relationship of reciprocity” with the environment and suggested President Donald Trump should read Pope Francis’ plea for climate action.
The new pope, who has taken the name Pope Leo XIV, addressed environmental issues and applauded renewable energy technologies late last year during a November seminar in Rome, according to a report on the Vatican’s website.
Prevost’s views on a host of topics, including climate change, poverty and LGBTQ issues, are now under a microscope as he assumes the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. He follows Pope Francis, who died last month and who spent his 12 years as pope calling for urgent action to combat climate change and protect the environment.
During the November seminar on the environment, then-Cardinal Prevost said it was time to move “from words to action” and said the response to environmental problems must be based on the church’s social doctrine, according to the Vatican’s website.
