The Pope hopes for responsible climate deal

Pope Benedict XVI called for a "responsible" deal at the Vatican today just ahead of the two week Climate Summit in Durban, South Africa. "I hope that all members of the international community agree on a responsible and credible response to this worrisome and complex phenomenon, taking into account the needs of the poorest and future generations," the Pope said as reported by the Associated Press. The Pope also said that, "in reality, the true 'owner' of the world is not man but God." This is not the first time Pope Benedict XVI has been outspoken about the environment and climate change. In the past he has called the the fight against climate change a "moral obligation". Often linking environmental degradation with materialism, he has said that "in a world closed in on its materialism, it is easier for the human being to make himself the dictator of all other creatures and of nature". In 2008 the Pope named environmental destruction as one of seven new sins. The Pope has faced criticism from some environmentalists who state that the Catholic Church's stance against contraception has helped fuel an overpopulated world. Overpopulation is considered by most environmentalists to be one of the overarching causes of environmental destruction. Pope Benedict XVI, the 265th Pope, was elected in 2005; he has arguably been the most vocal Pope ever on environmental issues. There are over 1.1 billion Catholics in the world, the largest sect of Christianity. Many of these Catholics live in developing nations (for example over 130 million people in Brazil are Catholic) where poverty and environmental issues are paramount.