Newsom has been invited to the 2024 Vatican Climate Summit. (Getty Images/Illustration)
"With half the world's population poised to elect their leaders amidst a backdrop of escalating political extremism, and global temperatures hurtling towards alarming new heights, the stakes could not be higher," Newsom wrote. "There is no greater authority than moral authority – and the Pope’s leadership on the climate crisis inspires us all to push further and faster. I’m humbled to go to the Vatican to join the Pope in his call for climate action."
Newsom, who is Catholic, has touted progressive policies – often at odds with the Catholic Church's dogma – in his state since he assumed office in 2019.
The Vatican states that "human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception," but Newsom has recently launched a pro-abortion campaign targeting states that have voted to restrict abortion access.
This month, Newsom released an ad targeting Republican lawmakers in Alabama who are fighting against a bill that would allow women to travel out of state to seek abortions. He also announced that lawmakers will introduce legislation that would permit Arizona abortionists to travel to California to conduct abortions for Arizonans after the neighboring state upheld a near-total abortion ban in the Supreme Court in April.
VATICAN SAYS GENDER THEORY, SURROGACY VIOLATE HUMAN DIGNITY IN ETHICS DOCUMENT
Pope Francis launched the climate summit in 2022. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino/File)
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The summit, which was spearheaded by Pope Francis in 2022 after he deemed climate change an "ecological sin" caused by human negligence, is organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. According to the academy, so-called climate resilience "requires both cross-disciplinary partnerships among researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs, as well as [transdisciplinary] partnerships between science and community leaders including faith leaders, NGOs, and the public."
"Mayors and Governors form the core of such transdisciplinary partnerships," it says on its website.
The Vatican did not respond to Fox News Digital's multiple requests for comment by press deadline.
Fox News' Pilar Arias and Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.
Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.
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