教宗呼吁为子孙后代保护环境

Pope Francis continues his tour of South America in Boliva Wednesday, after urging the faithful to open their arms to the poor and preserve the environment for future generations during a pair of speeches in Ecuador.

The pontiff told a group of business leaders and indigenous tribes in the capital city of Quito that "the goods of the Earth are meant for everyone, and however much someone may parade his property, it has a social mortgage."

His remarks on the environment were the first since he released his encyclical last month calling on world leaders to take immediate action to halt climate change, including ending the Earth's reliance on fossil fuels.

Pope Francis has faced heated criticism among climate change skeptics for his stance, especially in the United States, which he plans to visit in September. Conservatives have denounced him as ill-informed on the issue, and have called on him to drop the issue.