Overview

• At a Holy See press briefing, Arnold Schwarzenegger urged 1.4 billion Catholics to be “crusaders” for the environment and said not to use the federal government as an excuse after President Trump called climate change a “con job.”
• The three-day Raising Hope for Climate Justice meeting runs Oct. 1–3 at Castel Gandolfo, with Pope Leo XIV scheduled to address participants and the program culminating in a closing Mass and joint declaration.
• Organizers say the conference will launch a Laudato Si’ 10 pledge inviting parties to set clear ambitions that advance the 2015 encyclical’s vision.
• Around 1,000 participants are expected, including church leaders, scientists and policymakers, with named figures such as Tuvalu minister Maina Talia, Cardinal Jaime Spengler and Sr. Alessandra Smerilli.
• The Vatican pointed to concrete steps including a new ecological training center at Castel Gandolfo and a goal to become the first zero-emission state, as Pacific delegates warned of present-day impacts from rising seas.