Francis was the first climate pope. Who will take up his mantle?

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🗞️ Driving the news: Pope Francis, the first pontiff to place climate change at the center of his moral teachings, has died at age 88
• Over his 12-year papacy, he became a global voice for environmental responsibility, issuing the landmark 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ and directly engaging fossil fuel executives and world leaders on the need for climate action
• His death raises urgent questions about who will continue his moral and environmental leadership amid intensifying planetary crises

🔭 The context: Francis’s unprecedented climate advocacy emerged as climate science and impacts became increasingly dire
• Unlike his predecessors, he made the climate crisis a theological and ethical priority, integrating it into Catholic doctrine and diplomacy
• His stance reflected his roots in the Global South and concern for climate justice, consistently linking environmental degradation with systemic poverty and inequality

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Pope Francis helped reframe climate action as a moral imperative, influencing both faith-based and secular environmental movements
• While his advocacy elevated global awareness, it also exposed the limitations of moral suasion in confronting entrenched fossil fuel interests and political resistance
• His passing creates a leadership vacuum at a critical time for climate diplomacy, equity, and momentum toward decarbonization

⏭️ What's next: The Vatican will soon convene a conclave to elect a new pope, with figures such as Cardinals Tagle and Turkson — both vocal on climate — among potential successors
• The outcome could shape the Church’s future engagement with environmental issues
• Meanwhile, climate advocates worry that without Francis's unique blend of scientific insight and moral urgency, progress may stall
• The global community watches closely to see if the Church will sustain its climate voice or retreat under new leadership

💬 One quote: “I now think the fight against climate change is lost … I see a huge vacuum, and I don’t know who is going to fill it,” — Veerabhadran Ramanathan, climate scientist and member of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences

📈 One stat: Francis’s papacy coincided with the 10 hottest years on record globally — underscoring the urgency of the crisis he sought to confront

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