POPE FRANCIS ISSUED AN ECYCLICAL, CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE REPLACE OF FOSSIL FUELS WITHOUT DELAY

Pope Francis has issued an encyclical, asking developed nations to "progressively replace fossil fuels without delay".
The Pope urges the richer world to make changes in lifestyle and energy consumption to avert the unprecedented destruction of the ecosystem.

Environmentalists hope the message will spur on nations ahead of the UN climate conference in Paris in December.

But parts of the document, leaked earlier this week, have already been criticised by some US conservatives.

It has been dismissed by two Republican presidential candidates.