Pope: Ecological challenge of our time is more urgent than ever

“The ecological challenge of our time is indeed more urgent than ever,” Pope Leo XIV said in a meeting with a delegation of an Italian multiutility company that works also in the Vatican, on October 1, 2026.

“Rather than treating every used object as mere waste, we need to change our behavior and commit ourselves to taking a different path. Essentially, this means moving beyond the consumerist model and toward a production system capable of preserving the limited resources of our planet,” the Pope told the Hera Group.

The Hera Group is an Italian multiutility company that focuses on waste disposal and the distribution of gas, water and energy. Sustainability, a circular economy and protecting the environment are major parts of their mission.