Obama cheers Pope’s climate change push

President Obama said he “deeply admires” Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment and his “decision to make the case — clearly, powerfully, and with the full moral authority of his position — for action on global climate change.”

“As Pope Francis so eloquently stated this morning, we have a profound responsibility to protect our children, and our children’s children, from the damaging impacts of climate change,” Obama said Thursday. 

{mosads}“I believe the United States must be a leader in this effort, which is why I am committed to taking bold actions at home and abroad to cut carbon pollution, to increase clean energy and energy efficiency, to build resilience in vulnerable communities, and to encourage responsible stewardship of our natural resources.”

Francis’s encyclical, released Thursday morning, argues that governments and individuals need to do more to combat global warming.

Democrats, including several Obama administration officials, praised Francis on Thursday. Secretary of State John Kerry called his encyclical “powerful,” and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said it is “an important milestone in the global effort on this issue.”

The document comes ahead of both the pope’s inaugural trip the United States and a major climate conference this year focused on cutting global greenhouse gas emissions. Obama said he hopes Francis will inspire leaders to reach a deal. 

“I look forward to discussing these issues with Pope Francis when he visits the White House in September,” the president said. “And as we prepare for global climate negotiations in Paris this December, it is my hope that all world leaders — and all God’s children — will reflect on Pope Francis’s call to come together to care for our common home.”