Pope Francis warned world leaders against abusing the environment in his address to the United Nations Friday, his first stop in a busy day in New York City that took him from the World Trade Center to Harlem.
Addressing the General Assembly, the pope said that there is a "right of the environment" that mankind has no authority to abuse, and that urgent action is needed to preserve the earth's natural resources.
The pope also tried to put a human face on the problem, saying real men and women are living in poverty and suffering as a result of environmental abuse. He said he wants people to be at the forefront of these leaders' minds, arguing that humans must take precedence over partisan interests that drive wars and conflict.
He accused the world's powerful countries of indulging a "selfish and boundless thirst" for profit by plundering the earth's natural resources.
"Any harm done to the environment, therefore, is harm done to humanity," he said.
The pope also called for a world free of nuclear weapons, which drew applause from the nearly 200 General Assembly members – including the Iranian foreign minister.
The impact of the speech remains to be seen, but some suggest that Pope Francis' real power is not necessarily his influence over leaders at the UN, but his ability — through an address Like this — to build global support for his climate agenda.
Following his speech, the fifth by a pope to the United Nations, the pope headed off for the World Trade Center site and a ceremony to honor the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks.
His busy Friday schedule included stops in Harlem and Central Park, and an evening Mass at Madison Square Garden.