Pope Francis renewed his call for “ecological conversion” in a July 13 message to participants in a Vatican conference on “Resilience of People and Ecosystems under Climate Stress.”

“The phenomenon of climate change has become an emergency that no longer remains at the margins of society,” the Pope said. He emphasized the need for wealthy nations to reduce their emissions; for broader access to clean water and renewable energy; for a move toward “climate-resilient agriculture;“ and for adoption of a simpler life that would preserve natural resources.