Pope brings ‘urgency’ to climate change debate, lawmakers say

Environmental activists hope Pope Francis will “elevate the discussion” around climate change later this week during his speech to Congress.

When it comes to climate change, Pope Francis does not mince words, calling it “one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day.” Environmentalists hope the pontiff will deliver the same strong message to lawmakers when he addresses Congress on Thursday.

“With the pope visiting Washington, D.C., it’s a very important time to focus on climate change,” Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) told reporters during a press call organized by NextGen Climate.

“The urgency that the pope brings is real,” he added. “What I would hope is that the issue of climate change becomes a focal point.”

But environmental activists must be “realistic” about how long it could take to see legislative action on climate change, said Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who urged perseverance. 

NextGen President Tom Steyer said the pope has the opportunity to be “deeply inspirational” on the issue of climate change. 

“As the pope has reminded us, climate change is much more than just an environmental issue,” Steyer said on the press call. “It’s a deeply human issue.”

Many climate activists will rally on the mall on Thursday as Francis visits the Capitol.