“Some have chosen to deride the increasingly evident signs of climate change, to ridicule those who speak of global warming, and even to blame the poor for the very thing that affects them the most,” said Pope Leo XIV

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On October 1–3, 2025, Pope Leo XIV opened his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo to host Raising Hope for Climate Justice—a landmark gathering marking ten years since the release of the encyclical Laudato Si’. By welcoming participants into his home, the Pope underscored both the urgency and moral weight of the climate crisis.

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Among the nearly 1,000 participants from 80 countries was Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder and CEO of We Don’t Have Time, who joined faith leaders, Indigenous representatives, scientists, activists, and business leaders in a rare alliance for climate justice.

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At the heart of the conference was a block of ice from Greenland, blessed by the Pope, which melted slowly over three days—its water collected by participants to carry home and to COP30 in Brazil as a sign of shared responsibility and renewal.

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The event also launched the world’s first People-Determined Contributions (PDCs)—a civil society counterpart to the official national pledges (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. These commitments, born from individuals and communities, will be presented at COP30 to amplify the voices of those responding to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.

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