ABSTRACT

ENCYCLICAL LAUDATO SI  AND THE GREEN DEVIL. A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSISON THE INVOLVEMENT OF POPE FRANCIS IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Climate change represents one of the topics to which Pope Francis has given increased attention since the beginning of his pontificate in 2013. These issues stand as one of the most serious problems facing contemporary society and threaten both personal and state security, thus constituting a priority on the international agenda. In this regard, there is a need for consistent involvement based on an awareness of the importance that the environment holds in the proper functioning of our lives.

The present research aims to analyze Pope Francis's involvement in environmental issues and how this involvement has led to a greater social awareness of climate change and its gravity. In this sense, we speak of the “Francis Effect” - a kind of barometer of how the sovereign pontiff has influenced society's attitude toward environmental protection. By examining this barometer, we will be able to answer, in fact, the central question of the entire research: To what extent has Pope Francis's encyclical “Laudato Si” succeeded in having a positive impact on the way people perceive environmental issues?

Keywords: climate change, the Francis effect, Laudato Si.

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