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| Pope Francis Addresses U.N., Calling for Peace and Environmental Justice | Pope Francis Addresses U.N., Calling for Peace and Environmental Justice |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| UNITED NATIONS — A day after making history as the first pontiff to address Congress, Pope Francis on Friday morning issued a sweeping call to the United Nations for peace and environmental justice, as he placed blame for the exploitation of natural resources on “a selfish and boundless thirst for power and material prosperity.” | UNITED NATIONS — A day after making history as the first pontiff to address Congress, Pope Francis on Friday morning issued a sweeping call to the United Nations for peace and environmental justice, as he placed blame for the exploitation of natural resources on “a selfish and boundless thirst for power and material prosperity.” |
| Standing before the General Assembly in his first speech here, Francis endorsed United Nations efforts to reach a global compact to fight poverty and climate change. He also chided world powers for putting political interests ahead of human suffering in the Middle East. | Standing before the General Assembly in his first speech here, Francis endorsed United Nations efforts to reach a global compact to fight poverty and climate change. He also chided world powers for putting political interests ahead of human suffering in the Middle East. |
| He repeated his concern over persecuted Christians and, foremost, demanded that action be taken on behalf of the global poor. | He repeated his concern over persecuted Christians and, foremost, demanded that action be taken on behalf of the global poor. |
| “They are cast off by society, forced to live off what is discarded and suffer unjustly from the consequences of abuse of the environment,” Francis said. “These phenomena are part of today’s widespread and quietly growing ‘culture of waste.’ ” | “They are cast off by society, forced to live off what is discarded and suffer unjustly from the consequences of abuse of the environment,” Francis said. “These phenomena are part of today’s widespread and quietly growing ‘culture of waste.’ ” |
| Francis became the fourth pope to visit the United Nations headquarters, and his appearance brought enormous security precautions and an electric atmosphere. People lined up before dawn to enter the building. Police boats floated along the East River that flows past the United Nations campus in Manhattan. | |
| The senior United Nations police officer barked into his cellphone at the employee entrance as an army of police, Secret Service and other security officers patrolled the area. | The senior United Nations police officer barked into his cellphone at the employee entrance as an army of police, Secret Service and other security officers patrolled the area. |
| For the first time, the flag of the Holy See was raised above the United Nations headquarters. As a “nonmember observer state,” the Holy See has limited rights, but flying the flag was made possible by a resolution advanced by the delegation from Palestine, the only other nonmember observer state. | For the first time, the flag of the Holy See was raised above the United Nations headquarters. As a “nonmember observer state,” the Holy See has limited rights, but flying the flag was made possible by a resolution advanced by the delegation from Palestine, the only other nonmember observer state. |
| Francis spoke just before the formal opening of a special summit meeting that formally adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, a broad range of objectives that echo many of his own priorities: uplifting the poor, saving the earth’s forests and seas, and combating climate change. | |
| He was followed world leaders including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, along with heads of state or government from a range of developing countries including Liberia, Namibia and Vietnam. All embraced the themes of raising living standards while protecting the environment. | |
| Ms. Merkel, a strong advocate of efforts to combat climate change, devoted part of her remarks to the migrant crisis that has engulfed Europe because of people fleeing conflicts and deprivation from the Middle East and elsewhere. She asserted that “in the end, there cannot be one solution” to the crisis. | |
| Mr. Modi, whose country will in coming years eclipse China as the world’s most populous, focused on his government’s previous pledge to quintuple India’s use of renewable energy. He said his most important national priority was eliminating poverty. | |
| While the pope’s global agenda on poverty and the environment is already well known, the rostrum of the United Nations gave him a global stage to articulate an agenda that mostly dovetails with the Sustainable Development Goals, and with the program of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. | |
| Just as President Obama earlier this week basked in the presence of the popular Argentine pope, Mr. Ban benefited, too. | Just as President Obama earlier this week basked in the presence of the popular Argentine pope, Mr. Ban benefited, too. |
| “In no other hall, from no other platform, can a world leader speak to all humanity,” Mr. Ban declared in announcing the pontiff. | “In no other hall, from no other platform, can a world leader speak to all humanity,” Mr. Ban declared in announcing the pontiff. |
| Francis praised the accomplishments of the United Nations and its efforts to resolve conflicts and set human rights principles. Without that, Francis said, “mankind would not have been able to survive the unchecked use of its own possibilities.” | Francis praised the accomplishments of the United Nations and its efforts to resolve conflicts and set human rights principles. Without that, Francis said, “mankind would not have been able to survive the unchecked use of its own possibilities.” |
| Francis also sharply rebuked the world powers on the Security Council for their failure to agree on a peaceful transition to the wars in the Middle East, apparently referring specifically to Syria and Iraq, where people “have faced the alternative either of fleeing or of paying for their adhesions to good and to peace by their own lives, or by enslavement.” | Francis also sharply rebuked the world powers on the Security Council for their failure to agree on a peaceful transition to the wars in the Middle East, apparently referring specifically to Syria and Iraq, where people “have faced the alternative either of fleeing or of paying for their adhesions to good and to peace by their own lives, or by enslavement.” |
| “These realities should serve as a grave summons to an examination of conscience on the part of those charged with the conduct of international affairs,” Francis said. | “These realities should serve as a grave summons to an examination of conscience on the part of those charged with the conduct of international affairs,” Francis said. |
| Citing the relentless conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, South Sudan and elsewhere, he said in direct reference to the quarreling among the permanent members of the Security Council, “Real human beings take precedence over partisan interests, however legitimate the latter may be.” | Citing the relentless conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, South Sudan and elsewhere, he said in direct reference to the quarreling among the permanent members of the Security Council, “Real human beings take precedence over partisan interests, however legitimate the latter may be.” |
| By contrast, Francis praised the recent nuclear agreement reached between Iran and world powers as “proof of the potential of political good will and of law.” | By contrast, Francis praised the recent nuclear agreement reached between Iran and world powers as “proof of the potential of political good will and of law.” |
| For environmentalists, Francis’s visit to the United States has been a boon. He has repeatedly raised his concerns about environment and climate change, as he did Friday morning at the United Nations. Invoking the principles of international law and equality among nations, Francis endorsed the concept of “right of the environment.” | |
| “Any harm done to the environment, therefore, is harm done to humanity,” he said, later reprising his argument that the global poor are the biggest victims of environmental destruction. | “Any harm done to the environment, therefore, is harm done to humanity,” he said, later reprising his argument that the global poor are the biggest victims of environmental destruction. |
| “A selfish and boundless thirst for power and material prosperity leads both to the misuse of available natural resources and to the exclusion of the weak and the disadvantaged,” he said. | “A selfish and boundless thirst for power and material prosperity leads both to the misuse of available natural resources and to the exclusion of the weak and the disadvantaged,” he said. |
| Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the Holy See has formally objected to only one: gender equality, because of its longstanding reservations on ensuring “universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights,” which is one of the targets included in the goals document. | |
| Francis scolded global financial institutions, calling on them to ensure that countries “are not subjected to oppressive lending systems which, far from promoting progress, subject people to mechanisms which generate greater poverty, exclusion and dependence.” | Francis scolded global financial institutions, calling on them to ensure that countries “are not subjected to oppressive lending systems which, far from promoting progress, subject people to mechanisms which generate greater poverty, exclusion and dependence.” |
| The audience responded with loud applause, which permitted him to pause and sip some water. | The audience responded with loud applause, which permitted him to pause and sip some water. |
| The pope’s native Argentina — and, more recently, Greece — fought vigorously for a General Assembly resolution on a set of principles to resolve disputes between financially distressed countries and their lenders. The United States, Japan and Germany were among a handful of countries that voted against it. The resolution passed, although it is not binding and has no real effect. | The pope’s native Argentina — and, more recently, Greece — fought vigorously for a General Assembly resolution on a set of principles to resolve disputes between financially distressed countries and their lenders. The United States, Japan and Germany were among a handful of countries that voted against it. The resolution passed, although it is not binding and has no real effect. |
| Francis also delved into the contested issues of United Nations governance, with a call for “greater equity” on the Security Council, which seemed certain to please developing powers such as India and Brazil, which are not permanent veto-wielding members. | Francis also delved into the contested issues of United Nations governance, with a call for “greater equity” on the Security Council, which seemed certain to please developing powers such as India and Brazil, which are not permanent veto-wielding members. |
| As soon as Mr. Ban escorted the pope out of the building after the speech, he returned to the hall and spoke about the global development goals, which were adopted by the 193 member states of the United Nations. “It is an agenda for people, to end poverty in all its forms,” Mr. Ban said. “An agenda for the planet, our common home.” | As soon as Mr. Ban escorted the pope out of the building after the speech, he returned to the hall and spoke about the global development goals, which were adopted by the 193 member states of the United Nations. “It is an agenda for people, to end poverty in all its forms,” Mr. Ban said. “An agenda for the planet, our common home.” |
| He added, “It is rooted in gender equality and respect for the rights of all.” | He added, “It is rooted in gender equality and respect for the rights of all.” |
| Before the pope’s speech, Mr. Ban introduced Francis to 350 cheering United Nations employees in the lobby, calling them “the heart and soul of our work.” | Before the pope’s speech, Mr. Ban introduced Francis to 350 cheering United Nations employees in the lobby, calling them “the heart and soul of our work.” |
| For spots to see the pope in the lobby, 4,758 staff members put their names into a lottery. | For spots to see the pope in the lobby, 4,758 staff members put their names into a lottery. |
| “Dear friends, good morning,” the pope said in English, in his address to the staff shortly before 9 a.m. | “Dear friends, good morning,” the pope said in English, in his address to the staff shortly before 9 a.m. |
| “Viva Papa!” came a cheer. | |
| He called the United Nations staff members “in many ways the backbone of this organization” and made a joke about “all those who could not be here today,” and with a pause, “because of the lottery.” | He called the United Nations staff members “in many ways the backbone of this organization” and made a joke about “all those who could not be here today,” and with a pause, “because of the lottery.” |
| True to form, the pope thanked not only field staff members and interpreters but also “maintenance and security personnel.” He spoke slowly. He asked the nonbelievers in the audience to “wish me well.” A round of laughter and applause went up. | True to form, the pope thanked not only field staff members and interpreters but also “maintenance and security personnel.” He spoke slowly. He asked the nonbelievers in the audience to “wish me well.” A round of laughter and applause went up. |