Pope Leo condemned companies for “staggering profits” at the cost of environmental crimes
Kyiv • UNN
Pope Leo condemned companies for profits at the cost of environmental crimes in Italy. He met with the families of people who died of cancer due to pollution.
Pope Leo, during a visit to the Italian city of Acerra, condemned companies that earn "dizzying" profits at the cost of environmental pollution and human health. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
Details
The Pontiff visited an area near Naples known as the "Land of Fires," where illegal dumping of toxic waste has been recorded for years. Last year, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Italian authorities failed to protect local residents from an environmental disaster that has been ongoing since at least 1988.
Unscrupulous people and organizations have been allowed to act with impunity for too long
He also called for "rejecting the temptations of power and enrichment" associated with the pollution of land, water, and air.
"Land of Fires" and the environmental crisis
During the visit, the Pontiff met with families who lost loved ones to oncological diseases linked to pollution. In the square, he was greeted by residents holding photographs of deceased relatives and Vatican flags.
According to Reuters, waste disposal in the region was for years under the influence of the Camorra mafia group. The European Court ordered Italy to create a database of toxic waste sites and inform the population about the risks, and Giorgia Meloni's government has already established a special task force to eliminate the consequences of the environmental crisis.