The Holy See, in the name and on behalf of Vatican City State, is joining the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and when possible, the Paris Agreement.
With this decision, the Holy See "intends to contribute and to give its moral support" to States' efforts to respond to "the challenges posed by climate change to humanity and to our common home."
In an announcement from the Vatican press office, these challenges are specified as having relevance, "not only environmental, but also ethical, social, economic and political."
As has often been repeated by the Pope, the Vatican statement stresses that those most affected are the "poorest and most fragile."
The Holy See recalls Pope Francis’ urgent call
The statement says that Holy See is hoping these two documents would help promote agreement about the: