Figure 1. The first appearance of Pope Leo XIV after the conclave. Photographed by Guglielmo Mangiapane.

On May 8th, the Sistine Chapel released a cloud of white smoke from its chimney, marking the decision on the 267th pope. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became the first American pope and adopted the name, Pope Leo XIV. From an environmental sustainability perspective, an inquiry emerges: Will Pope Leo XIV honor our shared home and embody the strength symbolized by the lion in his chosen name?

There is a rich history of pontiffs supporting environmental action. Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II publicly stated that the ecological crisis must be addressed. Pope Benedict XVI was nicknamed the “green pope” as he advocated for environmental justice and installed solar panels at the Vatican to demonstrate that action must be taken to protect Earth (Roewe, 2025).

The late Pope Francis was active in his advocacy for environmental justice. He publicly expressed his stance on climate action and urged world leaders to join the global climate fight. In a study conducted on the influence of Pope Francis’ public opinion, researchers concluded that the “Francis effect” was a real and measurable phenomenon in which the late pontiff had an impact on public opinion on global issues. Support for anti-poverty measures, for example, increased from 20.9% to 26.0% after they were endorsed by Pope Francis. The study noted that this influence was most prominent among progressive, left-wing individuals and those who trust the Pope (Ladini & Faggiana, 2024). Pope Francis was most vocal about climate change, economic equity, and migration protection. He sent a papal encyclical letter urging Catholics to address climate change. Pope Francis’ policies and priorities reflected those of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron of ecology. Laudato Si’ (Praised Be) was the title of the encyclical that referenced a prayer from St. Francis. His call-to-action recognized climate change as a scientific and moral issue, particularly as it disproportionately affects poor and marginalized communities. This encyclical was released in May 2015, a few months before the UN General Assembly and the UN Climate Change Conference, where the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted and the Paris Agreement was signed, respectively. This letter reinforced the momentum for sustainable development, with UN officials describing it as a “clarion call” (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 2015).  

Many institutions within the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities are committed to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform inspired by the first Jesuit pope and have designed programs to uplift “ecological conversion” (Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development). USF established the One Earth Initiative in line with Pope Francis’ encyclical letter, adopting the goal to “accelerate the achievement of a more just and sustainable world” (University of San Francisco). 

Given this rich history of pontiffs protecting the planet, the world is wondering if and how Pope Leo XIV will uplift environmental sustainability during his papacy. As of May 8, 2025, limited sources are available on Pope Leo XIV and his stance on global social issues. However, it is evident that the new pontiff aligns with his predecessor on climate action, urging the need to move “from words to action” (Gussie, 2024). 

The actions of past popes demonstrate that the head of the Catholic Church holds significant influence over the pressing sustainability movement. After a strong era of promoting environmental action from the first Jesuit pope, the world is waiting to see how the new pontiff will follow. Leading 1.4 billion catholics worldwide, Pope Leo XIV has an incredible opportunity to advocate for environmental issues and promote climate action. As we navigate the new papacy and learn more about the selected pontiff, it will be interesting to observe how Pope Leo XIV addresses climate action and leads the globe in this integral moment in history. 

References

Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. “Laudato Si’ Action Platform.” Laudato Si’ Action Platform, 2021, laudatosiactionplatform.org/. Accessed 8 May 2025.

Gussie, Kielce. “Pope: Climate Change Impacts Poorest and Requires Global Cooperation.” Vaticannews.va, Vatican News, 29 Nov. 2024, www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2024-11/climate-change-conference-latin-america-cardinals-rome.html. Accessed 8 May 2025.

Ladini, Riccardo, and Lucia Faggiana. “Pope Francis as an Influential Leader? How Papal Statements Affect Public Attitudes toward Anti-Poverty Measures.” Politics and Religion, Oct. 2024, pp. 1–23, https://doi.org/10.1017/s1755048324000166. Accessed 8 May 2025.

Roewe, Brian. “These Cardinals Will Likely Consider the Climate When Casting Votes for the next Pope.” National Catholic Reporter, 2025, www.ncronline.org/earthbeat/these-cardinals-will-likely-consider-climate-when-casting-votes-next-pope. Accessed 8 May 2025.

United Nations Climate Change . “Pope Francis Joins Climate Fight | UNFCCC.” Unfccc.int, 19 June 2019, unfccc.int/news/pope-francis-releases-encyclical-on-climate-and-environment. Accessed 8 May 2025.

University of San Francisco. “One Earth Initiative | MyUSF.” Usfca.edu, 2015, myusf.usfca.edu/lane-center/one-earth-initiative. Accessed 8 May 2025.