ICLEI released a statement praising the Pope's encyclical on climate change, titled ‘Laudato Si’ (Praised Be), as an opportunity to complement global efforts towards a more comprehensive and ambitious climate deal to be adopted in Paris at the end of the year.

The network also encouraged the Holy See to consider its accession to the Rio Conventions as a State Party, in order to continue positive contributions to global sustainability efforts, as well as intergovernmental processes.

Read the full statement from the ICLEI Network below:

“We, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, provide the Welcome to Laudato Si for your timely, ambitious, and comprehensive message demonstrating Pope Francis's relevant leadership in tackling climate change and promoting sustainable development.

Recalling that the bottom-up contributions made by national governments fall far short of the level of ambition needed to avert a global crisis stemming from climate change, ICLEI notes that the encyclical complements global efforts to unite all societal actors in a new, inclusive and ambitious global climate agreement to be finalised in Paris at the Climate Conference in December 2015, where each individual contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation should be encouraged, recognised and accounted for.

ICLEI highlights the encyclical's strong emphasis on the importance of sustainable urban development and local action in developing and implementing holistic and transformative solutions to the global ecological crisis. The encyclical refers to various issues to ensure sustainability at the local level, including endorsing the Earth Charter, which are in synergy with the spirit and vision established in the Seoul Declaration of ICLEI, approved at the ICLEI World Congress 2015, held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, between 8-12 April 2015, celebrating ICLEI's 25th Anniversary.