The encyclical touches upon a variety of aspects pertaining to environmental protection and climate change, which have already been extensively discussed by academia and civil society at large. There is a strong focus also upon socioeconomic issues. The potential tensions and delicate causal ties between the environmental and social spheres, climate change and poverty were strongly highlighted.

Brazil

The Papal Encyclical, although met with approval by the Brazilian media, did not feature prominently in the news. Civil society organisations were equally quiet.

The new encyclical attracted interest both within the Brazilian mainstream media as well as in various influential left-alternative and civil-established Internet blogs.

The Encyclical’s main arguments, particularly the criticism of the unequal distribution of wealth and the destruction and the exploitation of the natural resources of our planet were extensively debated.

Brazilian civil society was fairly positive in its reaction to the Encyclical, as expressed in numerous comments in Internet forums and letters to the editor. Many praised the Catholic Church and Pope Francis in particular, for drawing public attention to environmental issues, climate change and sustainable development.

The Brazilian media made particular mention of Brazilian Catholic theologian Leonardo Boff’s request to the Vatican, in 2014, to work on the draft text. This request was granted, and, accordingly, Boff’s textual contribution forms part of the much-talked of Encyclical. Accordingly, it was also repeatedly pointed to this request and his textual contribution to the encyclical in the media. Boff is generally valued by the Brazilian public – especially in the poorer classes of the population.

Due to the current political crisis and steadily deteriorating economic conditions, criticism of the government dominates in the political statements of the conservative parties. Events such as the contested mission to Venezuela or new bills are highest upon the Brazilian political agenda, therefore the publication of the Encyclical remained entirely un-commented by the different party leaderships.