Pope to leaders: Take drastic action now on climate change

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is urging governments to show the "political will" to take drastic steps to deal with climate change and says it's time to abandon dependence on fossil fuels.

Francis issued the appeal in a message Sunday, Sept. 1, the start of several weeks of prayer by Christians to raise political awareness about pollution and exploitation of natural resources.

He also wants people to reflect on "thoughtful and harmful" daily decisions about consumption and "self-centered" attitudes toward Creation.

Francis said that at the U.N Climate Action Summit later in September, "governments will have the responsibility of showing the political will to take drastic measures" to achieve as quickly as possible zero net greenhouse gas emissions and to limit average the average increase in global temperature in line with the Paris climate accords.