When the Elliott Allen Institute gathers theologians from across North America for wide ranging discussions of the theological response to climate change on Nov. 12, it won’t be just nibbling at the fashionable edges of theology, says Hilda Koster, the Toronto institute’s new director.

Pope Francis isn’t going to let the next global summit on climate change slip by on the same old excuses and empty promises — and Development and Peace - Caritas Canada aims to see Canadian Catholics play their part.

OTTAWA -- Faith groups that for years have warned that unless climate change is addressed the future enjoyment of God’s creation is bleak are encouraged the issue is at the forefront as Canadians get set to vote Sept. 20.

The Global Catholic Climate Movement is no more. A new name has been given to the planet-spanning network of Catholic climate activists and has been personally endorsed by the Pope.

VATICAN CITY — Whether people admit it or not, climate change and environmental destruction are forcing millions from their homes, and Catholics have a responsibility to assist them, Pope Francis wrote in the preface to a new document.

General Motors, the auto manufacturer which made billions from the sale of Hummers and other gas guzzlers, has committed itself to end production of petroleum powered vehicles by 2035 and be carbon neutral by 2040. The announcement is a significant step forward in the battle against climate change. Not only will the decision eliminate tailpipe emissions from GM’s vehicles, it will also encourage other automakers to step up their work in developing electric cars.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis pledged Vatican City State would achieve net-zero carbon emissions before the year 2050, and he urged everyone in the world to be part of a new culture of care for others and the planet.

UNITED NATIONS - Protecting "our common home for present and future generations is one of the most urgent demands of our time," Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations, said Oct. 13.

In a recent interview with Global News, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his government will put forward an “ambitious agenda” for a green recovery. “We know the world is going towards lower carbon,” he said. It appears that he is willing to stake the fate of his minority government on such an agenda.

OTTAWA -- More than 150 organizations, including Catholic and other religious groups, have united to support six “Principles for a Just Recovery” which they hope will influence what Canada will look like after COVID-19.

VATICAN CITY -- Commemorating the fifth anniversary of his encyclical on the environment, Pope Francis called on Christians to join in prayer and acts of care for the Earth and for the poor.

It is not wrong to say that Laudato Si’ is an encyclical about ecology or climate change. But nobody gets full marks for that answer.

One could almost hear the collective sigh of relief as governments across Canada announced the lifting of some restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Making an impact in the world doesn’t have to be an accomplishment reserved for the later years of life. At 16, Haana Edenshaw has already made considerable strides towards raising environmental awareness and protecting her land.

Despite months of protests from youth climate activists around the world, leaders at a global climate summit in Madrid have kicked the can of climate change down the road until the next UN-sponsored negotiations in 11 months.