Leo XIV denounces that nature is used to "obtain economic or political advantages"

Vatican City, July 2 (EFE) - Leo XIV denounced that nature "has sometimes become an instrument of exchange, a good traded for economic or political gain," in a message published Wednesday for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which the Church celebrates on September 1.

"In various parts of the world, it is already evident that our earth is deteriorating," and "everywhere, injustice, the violation of international law and people's rights, inequalities, and the resulting greed are leading to deforestation, pollution, and loss of biodiversity," he noted.

The Pope denounced that "there is still no awareness that destroying nature does not harm everyone equally" because "trampling on justice and peace means affecting above all the poorest, the marginalized, the excluded, and in this context, the suffering of indigenous communities is emblematic."

He also condemned the fact that nature has sometimes become "an instrument of exchange, a commodity traded for economic or political gain."

"Creation," he explained, "is becoming a battlefield for control of vital resources, as evidenced by the agricultural areas and forests rendered dangerous by mines, the scorched earth policy, the conflicts erupting over water sources, and the unequal distribution of raw materials, which penalizes the weakest populations and undermines their very social stability."

He asserted that all these wounds to the environment "are a consequence of sin," because "without a doubt, this is not what God had in mind when he entrusted the Earth to man created in his image.

And he reiterated that "environmental justice can no longer be considered an abstract concept or a distant goal. It represents an urgent need that goes beyond simple environmental protection" and that "in reality, it is a matter of social, economic, and anthropological justice."

For Catholics, he stressed, "it is also a theological requirement."

"In a world where the most vulnerable are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation, and pollution, caring for creation becomes a matter of faith and humanity," he said, before asserting that "it is time to move from words to deeds."