Vatican accepts donation to make it first carbon-neutral state

Published: 2007-07-13

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Calling for "a new culture, new attitudes and new lifestyles that make people aware of their role as custodians" of the earth, Cardinal Paul Poupard accepted a donation designed to make the Vatican "the world's first carbon-neutral sovereign state." The U.S.-based Planktos Inc. and its Hungarian partner, KlimaFa, will designate part of a reforestation project in Hungary as the Vatican Climate Forest. Cardinal Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, accepted the gift on behalf of the Vatican in early July. The council and the two companies announced it publicly July 12. In the meantime, Pope Benedict XVI, vacationing in the northern Italian Alps, sent a message to Italian forest rangers celebrating the July 12 feast of St. John Gualberto, their patron saint. "It is an appropriate occasion to express my appreciation and affection for forest rangers, certain that they want their work to be marked by a spirit of service, to be close to the people and to better safeguard natural resources, which are a gift of God for everyone," said the papal message.

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