Pope Francis said on Monday that he was writing a follow-up to his landmark 2015 encyclical on the protection of the environment and the dangers of climate change “to bring it up to date”.
He made the surprise announcement in a brief, unprepared addition in a speech to a group of lawyers from the Council of Europe countries.
In 2015, Francis wrote Laudato Si (Praised Be), a major document on the need to protect the environment, face the dangers and challenges of climate change and reduce the use of fossil fuels. An encyclical is the highest form of papal writing.
“I am writing a second part to Laudato Si to bring it up to date with current problems,” Francis told the group without elaborating.