'Rich nations must assume environmental duties'

Industrialised nations must recognise their responsibility for the environmental crisis, shed their consumerism and embrace more sober lifestyles, Pope Benedict said.

The pope's call for more environmental commitments came in his message for the Roman Catholic Church's annual World Day of Peace, to be marked on Jan 1 and whose theme is "If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation."

The message is traditionally sent to heads of state, government and international organisations and its importance this year is more significant because its release coincided with the UN climate conference in Copenhagen.

"It is important to acknowledge that among the causes of the present ecological crisis is the historical responsibility of the industrialized countries," he said in the message.

While saying that developing countries "are not exempt from their own responsibilities with regard to creation," and had a duty to gradually adopt effective environmental measures, the bulk of his criticism was aimed at rich nations.

Speaking of the need for all nations to address the issue of energy resources, he said:

"This means that technologically advanced societies must be prepared to encourage more sober lifestyles, while reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency."

He said no nation or people can remain indifferent to problems such as climate change, desertification, pollution, the loss of biodiversity, the increase of natural catastrophes and the deforestation of equatorial and tropical regions.

Environmental concerns too often took a back seat to what he called "myopic economic interests," adding the international community and governments had a moral duty to "send the right signals" to effectively combat misuse of the environment.