National

Pope Francis on Saturday told oil executives and other key energy sector figures at the Vatican that the world’s transformation to clean energy was an "epochal" challenge, and that companies' continued search for new sources of fossil fuels was "even more worrying" than the already high levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Why it matters: Pope Francis, one of the most recognized figures in the world, is helping to fill the void in climate leadership that was left when the U.S. withdrew from the Paris Agreement on climate. The talks he called address what might be the central issue of the climate debate head on: that the energy companies that helped produce much of the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere must also be a central part of any solution to the problem.

The event: In what Vatican officials said was intended to be a low key event, the pontiff invited 40 top energy executives, investors, and other experts in order to appeal to them to find a way to address what he called "two great needs of today’s world" at the same time: caring for the poor and being caretakers of the environment.

Situational awareness: As Axios' Amy Harder has expressed, the June 8-9 conference fell between two key dates: just after the one-year anniversary of the Donald Trump’s announcement the U.S. would be the only country to pull its support from the Paris Agreement, and just before the third anniversary of the release of Francis' only papal encyclical, Laudato si’, which formally made "Care for Our Common Home" — the environment — Catholic doctrine.

The big picture: Sources in Italy say the pope hosted smaller-scale talks on sustainable development focusing on limiting population growth last November that was controversial in Catholic circles because it included discussions about birth control. Another round of climate related talks may be held at the Vatican later in the year. 

It is clear that Pope Francis plans to play a protagonist role as the problems of development, climate, and energy converge even as he addresses other key issues for the church including terrorism, relations with other faiths, and clerical abuse scandals.

The details: Aside from the pope’s Saturday address, very little is so far known about what happened behind the closed doors of the talks. But in his remarks, Francis repeatedly returned to the need for those in attendance to make dramatic moves without pulling any punches about the consequences. 

"I invite you to be the core group of leaders who envision the global energy transition in a way that will take into account all the peoples of the earth, as well as future generations and all species and ecosystems."

Yes, but: At least two-dozen influential executives and energy leaders including the heads of BP, ExxonMobil, Eni, Equinor, and BlackRock traveled to the Vatican for the event, and Pope Francis is the spiritual leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics. But there is a limit to how much can be accomplished in one sitting, even in that context. 

As with the high-profile release of Laudato si’ in 2015, proof of effectiveness will only become apparent with time. That comes as multilateral talks struggle to maintain the momentum from the Paris Agreement and environmental groups say that chances of keeping global temperature rise to within 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius (2.7 to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels are rapidly diminishing.

Pope tackles climate change head-on in address to oil executives

He told oil executives that their search for fossil fuels was "even more worrying."

Pope Francis greets the audience during the Weekly General Audience. Photo: Giuseppe Ciccia/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

Energy

Pope Francis

Energy & Environment

Top energy and investment executives attending a conference last weekend hosted by Pope Francis at the Vatican agreed a price on carbon emissions was essential in transitioning to cleaner sources of energy, according to multiple officials at the meeting. 

Why it matters: This takeaway underscores how this particular policy is cementing itself as the preferred path among global oil companies in addressing climate change — even while it remains far out of reach in Washington, D.C.

Between the lines: Some big producers, particularly ExxonMobil Corp., have been increasingly vocal about their support for a carbon tax, but so far their rhetoric hasn’t been backed up by active lobbying on the issue in Congress, whose GOP leaders generally oppose any such policy. On the other side of the Atlantic, Europe already has a carbon-pricing system.

Ernest Moniz, energy secretary under President Obama, attended the meeting and said that “one of the areas of focus was carbon pricing to create market incentives for the transition to a low-carbon system,” according to an interview with MIT.

Specific details about carbon pricing, such as oil companies’ support for it in Congress, were not discussed, according to multiple meeting attendees. 

"It needs to not disadvantage the already disadvantaged, that view come out quite strongly from the Vatican side. It needs to be progressive," said one official who attended the conference. 

Three industry officials in the meeting said that — despite some narratives emerging  indicating the pope lectured companies on climate change — it was a genuine two-way dialogue with church officials moderating the discussion more than anything. "Everybody recognized that you need to find a meaningful way to put a charge on carbon," said one meeting attendee.

A press release issued afterwards by one arm of the Vatican said technologies including carbon capture and low-cost renewables were among the discussion points.

President Trump wasn't mentioned, according to two officials. "I would say it was a very apolitical conversation," said one attendee. 

What's next:  Notre Dame University, which helped organize this meeting, has indicated it will discuss with participants, which includes CEOs of big oil producers, renewable energy companies and investors, about another meeting, said one participant, though no specific details have emerged on that yet. 

Pope Francis and Big Oil come together on carbon price

It's not close to happening in the United States.

Pope Francis waves to the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square. Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Climate change

Top energy and investment executives <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="attending a conference" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/pope-tackles-climate-change-head-on-in-address-to-oil-executives-148e242a-a54c-4286-aba0-3916ffb050ed.html" data-vars-content-id="2b12db60-f89b-4e02-bb8d-4cb24ed4a879" data-vars-headline="Pope Francis and Big Oil come together on carbon price" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/pope-tackles-climate-change-head-on-in-address-to-oil-executives-148e242a-a54c-4286-aba0-3916ffb050ed.html" target="_self">attending a conference</a> last weekend hosted by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pope Francis" data-vars-click-url="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/06/09/180609b.html" data-vars-content-id="2b12db60-f89b-4e02-bb8d-4cb24ed4a879" data-vars-headline="Pope Francis and Big Oil come together on carbon price" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/06/09/180609b.html" target="_blank">Pope Francis</a> at the Vatican agreed a price on carbon emissions was essential in transitioning to cleaner sources of energy, according to multiple officials at the meeting. Why it matters: This takeaway underscores how this particular policy is cementing itself as the preferred path among global oil companies in addressing climate change — even while it remains far out of reach in Washington, D.C.

Pope Francis is hosting environmental leaders, researchers and activists next week at the Vatican to advocate for more aggressive action on climate change, according to multiple officials and an agenda viewed by Axios. 

Why it matters: It’s the latest move in Francis’ strategy pushing a worldwide discussion on climate change and comes just a few weeks after he hosted a very different crowd on the same topic: big oil and investment firm executives.

The details: The Vatican says the upcoming meeting, scheduled for July 5-6, will help set the stage for greater action in upcoming meetings including the Global Climate Action Summit in California, the International Monetary Fund-World Bank meeting in Bali, and the year-end COP-24 UN climate summit in Poland. The pope is expected to address attendees on the second day. 

Attendees include the following, as of June 28:

Patricia Espinosa and Christiana Figueres, the current and previous heads of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Michal Kurtyka, president of the upcoming annual U.N. climate conference in Poland 

Environmental activist Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org

Researchers Hans Joachim Schellnhuber from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Nicholas Stern of the London School of Economics

Several high-ranking church officials and other religious leaders

Between the lines: The formal name of the conference “Saving Our Common Home and the Future of Life on Earth” hints at the importance Pope Francis and the Vatican are giving this topic of discussion. But participants in the talks are more likely to shape climate debate more than change climate policies for companies or governments. Vatican leaders say that does not diminish their role: In an interview, Cardinal Peter Turkson, one of the key organizers, asked: “What will it take for the world to decide once and for all to make a change?”

Yes, but: Worldwide momentum for climate action has slowed since the adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate nearly three years ago, despite the pope’s best efforts. And with a mostly like-minded list of participants on hand, there’s a risk the conference could amount to little more than preaching to the converted.

The big picture: The conference comes a few days after the third anniversary of the publication of Laudato Si’, Francis’ only encyclical to date whose focus was environment and climate change. Laudato Si’ formally made environmental protection Catholic doctrine. Since publishing Laudato Si’ in 2015, the pope has lobbied for stronger climate action in dozens of meetings with individual world leaders, and hosted at least two climate conferences: one last year on sustainable development and the recent meeting with oil executives.

This story has been updated to clarify Hans Joachim Schellnhuber's full name and include his organization's full name. 

Pope to huddle with environmental leaders, activists

Pope's climate meeting comes few weeks after another with oil execs

Pope Francis at the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, Vatican. Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Science

Pope Francis is hosting environmental leaders, researchers and activists next week at the Vatican to advocate for more aggressive action on climate change, according to multiple officials and an agenda viewed by Axios. Why it matters: It’s the latest move in Francis’ strategy pushing a worldwide discussion on climate change and comes just a few weeks after he hosted <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a very different crowd" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/pope-tackles-climate-change-head-on-in-address-to-oil-executives-148e242a-a54c-4286-aba0-3916ffb050ed.html" data-vars-content-id="7cab74cb-bcde-46c5-8bdd-177588682b83" data-vars-headline="Pope to huddle with environmental leaders, activists" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/pope-tackles-climate-change-head-on-in-address-to-oil-executives-148e242a-a54c-4286-aba0-3916ffb050ed.html" target="_self">a very different crowd</a> on the same topic: big oil and investment firm executives.

Eric J. Lyman, journalist in Rome

Stories

Pope to huddle with environmental leaders, activists

Pope Francis and Big Oil come together on carbon price

Pope tackles climate change head-on in address to oil executives