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 In the Italian version of the 192-page document, posted on Monday by
the weekly magazine l'Espresso, the pope again backs scientists who
say global warming is mostly man-made and that developed countries
have a particular responsibility to stem a trend that will hurt the
poor the most.
That position has been contested by conservatives, particularly in
the United States, who have excoriated the first pontiff from Latin
America for deploying scientific arguments.
The Vatican condemned the leak of the document but did not deny its
authenticity. A spokesman said it was not the final version, which
would remain under embargo until its scheduled release on Thursday.
Still, Italy's major newspapers published pages of excerpts in their
Tuesday editions.
"If the current trend continues, this century could see unheard-of
climate change and an unprecedented destruction of ecosystems, with
grave consequences for all of us," Francis writes, according to the
leaked version.
By making environmental protection a moral imperative, Francis'
intervention could spur the world's 1.2 billion Catholics to lobby
policymakers on ecology issues.
The pope has said he wants the document, called "Laudato Si (Be
Praised), On the Care of Our Common Home", to be part of the debate
at a major U.N. summit on climate change this year in Paris. He said
on Sunday the document was addressed to all people, regardless of
religion.
According to the leaked excerpts from the six-chapter document,
destined to become a signature document of his papacy, Francis
speaks of "symptoms of a breaking point caused by the great speed of
change and degradation".
It was not clear how advanced in the writing process the leaked
document was or how similar it would be to the final version. The
leaked document bore the pope's signature in Latin.
"IMMENSE GARBAGE DUMP"
It confirmed what people familiar with the final version told
Reuters last week about how the document addresses climate change
and the man-made causes of global warming.
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"The Earth, our home, increasingly seems to be transforming itself
into an immense garbage dump," he writes.
Francis confronts climate change deniers head-on, saying there is a
"very consistent scientific consensus that we are experiencing a
worrying warming of the climactic system".
While acknowledging there are other factors, he says numerous
studies have shown that global warming is caused by greenhouse gases
emitted mainly because of human activities.
The encyclical urges rich nations to re-examine their "throw-away"
lifestyle, an appeal Francis has made often since his election in
2013.
"Enormous consumption in some rich countries have repercussions in
some of the poorest places on Earth," he says, according to the
leaked draft.
The pope calls for a reduction in carbon emissions, an increase in
policies that favor renewable energy and warns of the long-term
effects of continuing to use fossil fuels as the main source of
global energy.
He also rejects suggestions that population control would solve the
environmental crisis, saying one of the main causes is "extreme
consumerism".
(Editing by Louise Ireland and Gareth Jones)
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