STORY: Pope Leo criticized world governments in a video released on Monday (November 17) for failing so far to slow global warming and called for a stronger response to the threat, as countries at the U.N. climate summit in Brazil's Amazon city of Belem entered the second week of negotiations with a goal to resolve their thorniest issues ahead of schedule.

The Pope's message reflected mounting concern about flagging international ambition and rising greenhouse gas emissions a full decade after the 2015 Paris Agreement, a landmark deal at which countries for the first time agreed to limit global warming to well within 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Scientists say the Earth is destined now to overshoot that threshold, opening the door to devastating impacts.

"The creation is crying out in floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat," Pope Leo said in a video message played at an event on the sidelines of the summit.

"The Paris Agreement has driven real progress and remains our strongest tool for protecting people and the planet. But we must be honest: it is not the Agreement that is failing, we are failing in our response. What is failing is the political will of some."

Delegates in the steamy riverside city are seeking to reach agreement by Wednesday (November 19) on a number of difficult topics, including climate finance and goals to reduce emissions, with the rest of the agenda to be resolved by the last scheduled day on Friday, COP30 President Andre Correa do Lago said on Monday.

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VIDEO SHOWS: POPE LEO SPEAKING ON CLIMATE AND COP 30 SUMMIT

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: CAPTION IN PORTUGUESE BY SOURCE.

SHOWS: VATICAN CITY (RELEASED NOVEMBER 17, 2025)(VATICAN MEDIA - Access all) (CAPTION IN PORTUGUESE BY SOURCE)

1. (SOUNDBITE)(English) POPE LEO, SAYING:

"The creation is crying out in floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat. One in three people live in great vulnerability because of these climate changes. To them, climate change is not a distant threat. And to ignore these people is to deny our shared humanity. There's still time to keep the rising global temperatures below 1.5 degrees centigrade. But the window is closing. As stories of God's creation we are called to act swiftly with faith and prophecy to protect the gift he entrusted to us."

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE)(English) POPE LEO, SAYING:

"The Paris Agreement has driven real progress and remains our strongest tool for protecting people and the planet. But we must be honest. It is not the agreement that is failing. We are failing in our response. What is failing is the political will of some. True leadership means service and support at a scale that will truly make a difference. Stronger climate actions will create stronger and fairer economic systems, strong climate actions and policies. Both are an investment in a more just and stable world."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE)(English) POPE LEO, SAYING:

"We walk alongside scientists, leaders, pastors of every nation and creed. We are guardians of creation, not rivals for spoils. Let us send a clear global signal together, nations standing in unwavering solidarity behind the Paris Agreement and behind climate cooperation."