Climate change damage is as bad as a third world war, Pope tells COP26

The damage wrought by ecological degradation and climate change are as bad as those inflicted by a global war, the Pope has told world leaders at COP26.

In a three-minute address to the Glasgow summit, the Holy Father said the effort to remedy the damage must be equal to that of rebuilding Europe and other theatres of conflict in the years following the Second World War.

His speech was read out by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State who represented the Holy See at the summit after Francis reluctantly withdrew.