Pope urges focus on environment, neglect

Pope Francis urged a council that advises the Italian government on bioethics to focus on the causes of environmental decline, the marginalisation of vulnerable people and the harmonisation of ethical rules governing biological and medical activities.

    Speaking on Thursday to the National Committee of Bioethics, which advises Italy's government on moral questions posed by technological advances, Francis said an analysis should be made of how to incentivise conservation and care of the environment.

    He also said that the neglect of vulnerable people needed to be studied "in a society striving towards competition, acceleration and progress".

    He added that a challenge would be to fight what he called the modern "throwaway culture". He said this was expressed in many ways, including the idea of treating human embryos as material that can be discarded, as well as old or ill people who are close to death.

    Finally, he said the committee should work on ways to harmonise rules governing the biological and medical sectors around the world, aiming to keep the focus on the recognition of human values and fundamental rights.