The world may have another climate pope
Don't expect Pope Leo XIV to file comments in EPA dockets, but he could build upon the late Pope Francis' unprecedented Vatican focus on climate change.
Why it matters: The pope has a massive bully pulpit as leader of a church with 1.4 billion members worldwide, and reaches people well beyond that.
The Vatican lacks official power to sway policies, but lots of global climate architecture already operates on persuasion — the Paris agreement doesn't force nations to do anything.
And there's scaffolding around papal climate efforts now, with Francis giving rise to the Laudato Si' Movement based on his 2015 encyclical on the topic.
Driving the news: Leaders of the next UN climate summit in Brazil quickly invited the new pope to attend.
"The COP30 Presidency hopes to welcome Pope Leo XIV in Belem in November to help us reach a climate agreement that will mark a turning point in the creation of a more prosperous, safer, fairer and sustainable future," Ana Toni, the summit's CEO, said in a statement.
The intrigue: The career of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost — now Pope Leo — offers a breadcrumb trail showing his interest in climate.
Last year, per the Vatican's official news service, he told an environmental seminar that it's time to move "from words to action."
He called for "reciprocity" with nature, cautioned against harms from technology and praised the Vatican's installation of solar panels and use of EVs.
In 2017, he reposted an X (then Twitter) post encouraging President Trump to read Francis' encyclical.
What they're saying: Arun Agrawal, a Notre Dame professor of development policy, offered initial thoughts on the new American pope while cautioning that it's early days.
"[W]e can expect some continuity but we should also expect both innovation and new ideas to come from the new Pontiff as he leads the Vatican to address sustainability challenges," he said via email.
He expects Leo's work to be informed by his long service in Peru and his background in church governance.
Leo has "intimate familiarity with context where marginality, poverty, and vulnerability are widespread" that will inform his thinking on climate, water, sustainability and more.
What we're watching: Francis' encyclical had rather skeptical — or at least complicated — feelings about technology, and Agrawal sees some connective tissue between the two men.
"I think both Pope Francis and Pope Leo have a critique of simply technological innovation being enough. Accordingly, the innovation has to be in our institutions and our hearts and minds and how to connect these changes to those in the world," he said.
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As the UN turns 80, its crucial humanitarian aid work faces a clouded future
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Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Oil Prices Jump, Stocks Fall After US Strikes Iran Nuclear Sites
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Oil prices surged and U.S. stock futures declined as global markets reacted to American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to the Associated Press. Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 2.6 percent to $79 per barrel, while U.S. crude climbed 2.6 percent to $75.76 per barrel. Why It Matters The U.S.'s strikes on Saturday marked its entry into the Iran-Israel conflict and were the biggest escalation in the war since Israel first ignited it by striking at Iran on June 13. Iranian lawmakers voted to support closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to the strikes, which hit three Iranian nuclear and military sites. A final decision on the matter rests with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Nearly 20 percent of global oil trade passes through the Strait or Hormuz, a narrow but highly strategic waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. At its narrowest point, the strait is about 21 miles wide, with two shipping lanes that are 2 miles wide in each direction. Any closure of the channel is likely to result in a global spike in oil prices. What To Know There was some market uncertainty on Sunday evening, with futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping 0.3 percent, while Nasdaq futures fell 0.5 percent. Treasury yields remained little changed. The modest moves suggest markets are taking the latest developments in stride, though analysts expect continued volatility as the situation develops. Iran's strategic position controlling the Strait of Hormuz gives the country significant leverage over global energy markets. However, any Iranian retaliation that includes closing the waterway would likely be difficult to execute. Traders remain concerned that Iran could severely disrupt transit through the strait, potentially sending insurance rates spiking and making shippers nervous to move cargo without U.S. Navy escorts. Complicating Iran's decision is the country's own dependence on the waterway. Iran uses the strait to transport its own crude oil, mostly to China, and oil represents a major revenue source for the regime, creating economic incentives against closure. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday evening: "ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT. THANK YOU! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES." Greg Kennedy, director of the Economic Conflict and Competition Research Group at King's College London, told Newsweek: "This is not an act that just stays in the Gulf region, it has wider global strategic ripples." Jorge León, head of geopolitical analysis at energy consultancy Rystad, told the Financial Times on Sunday: "In an extreme scenario where Iran responds with direct strikes or targets regional oil infrastructure, oil prices will surge sharply. Even in the absence of immediate retaliation, markets are likely to price in a higher geopolitical risk premium." Spencer Hakimian, founder of Tolou Capital Management, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday: "There are close to 50 large oil tankers scrambling to leave the Strait of Hormuz right now. Looks like the oil industry is expecting the Strait to be blockaded in the coming days." The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stands in lower Manhattan on June 18, 2025 in New York City. Traders are looking ahead to the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision later today. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stands in lower Manhattan on June 18, 2025 in New York City. Traders are looking ahead to the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision later Happens Next Markets will closely monitor Iran's response as trading opens Monday, with analysts remaining divided on the likelihood of strait closure. The final decision about Iran's response will be made by Khamenei; the parliament's vote to close the strait merely advises him of the option to pursue. Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
