Pope Francis has renewable energy on his mind and has said he would like Vatican City to run on solar energy.
To achieve its goal, solar panels will be installed on Vatican-owned property outside Rome. The energy generated could satisfy the entire energy needs of the Vatican City. In an apostolic letter issued “motu proprio” on his own initiative, the Pope stated: “It is necessary to move to a model of sustainable development that reduces greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, aiming for climate neutrality”,
The letter, titled “Brother Sun,” was dated June 21, the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. The Vatican released the letter yesterday (June 26).
What are Pope Francis’ guidelines?
Construction will take place on Vatican property about 11 miles from Rome, in the Santa Maria di Galeria area. The property is currently used for Vatican Radio broadcasts.
The system will combine renewable electricity production with the needs of the underlying agricultural land.
For construction, the Pope gave two special commissioners full authority to manage the project.
The Pope has a long-standing commitment to the environment
In his letter, the pontiff goes on to state: “Humanity has the technological means to address this problem environmental transformation and its pernicious ethical, social, economic and political consequences, with solar energy playing a key role among these solutions.”
Pope Francis has expressed his position on the matter climate crisis in 2015, when he said he would “renew the dialogue” about how we are “building the future of the planet.”
“There is a strong scientific consensus on the indication of a worrying warming of the climate system. In recent decades, this warming has been accompanied by a constant rise in sea levels and an increase in extreme weather events”, wrote the Pope in a letter entitled Laudato Si’. ‘ in May 2015.
In July 2022, things were formalized when the Vatican joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a global agreement among nations to address “dangerous human interference with the climate system.”
