Environmentalists Embrace Pope’s Climate Change Letter

Wisconsin environmental activists are welcoming Pope Francis’s description of climate change as a global problem.

The pope’s 184-page letter released, released on Thursday, says those with more economic resources and political power seem mostly to be concerned with masking the problems of climate change or concealing their symptoms.

Tom Sinclair, who co-leads the Madison chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, said he hopes the pope’s words reach everyone, especially Catholics.

“My understanding is that a quarter of the American people identify as Catholic, and a third of members of Congress identify as Catholic,” said Sinclair. “Getting a message like this from the leader of the church is a really encouraging sign. He’s saying it’s time to do something.”

Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki said he hopes the Pope’s letter will “touch all Catholics to have more respect for the environment.”