Pope "Mic Drop" Video Might Be Best Commentary On Climate Encyclical Yet

onJun 17, 2015 @ 21:43 PDT

We’ve already seen Pope Francis cast as an action hero in an epic movie trailer for his encyclical on climate justice, but this might be the best take yet: The Pope gets up on stage to drop a few rhymes — and the mic — at an otherwise dull open mic night.

“Cynical about my encyclical? I’m lovin it! /
No government can overcome our covenant.”

With this type of attention being paid to the Pope’s climate message, it’s no wonder the usual climate denier suspects are lining up to attack the Pope’s credibility.

Watch:

The video was made by NYC-based filmmaker Brian Lannin.

Pope as rapper? Maybe not as far-fetched as you think:

#PopeFrancis & his crew. Dropping beats and an #encyclical. #climatechange #popeforplanet pic.twitter.com/go2KlPqaBR

— Shanelle Matthews (@TheShanelleM) June 18, 2015

By Mike Gaworecki

Mike Gaworecki is a San Francisco-based journalist who writes about energy, climate, and forest issues for DeSmogBlog and Mongabay.com. His writing has appeared on BillMoyers.com, Alternet, Treehugger, Change.org, Huffington Post, and more. He is also a novelist whose debut “The Mysticist” came out via FreemadeSF in 2014.

Canada Pension Plan is Bankrolling Trump’s Fossil Fuel and AI Agenda

ByTaylor Noakes

onFeb 6, 2026 @ 08:38 PST

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has invested billions in fossil fuel expansion in the United States since Trump’s return to office.

MAGA Gathers in European Parliament to Attack EU Laws

ByJoey Grostern

onFeb 6, 2026 @ 08:30 PST

The European far-right rubbed shoulders with pro-Trump groups in Brussels.

Series: Inside MAGA’s Global Climate Agenda

Series: MAGA

Q&A: Tech Billionaires’ AI Space Empire Fantasies Are ‘An Insidious Form of Climate Denial’

ByRei Takver

onFeb 4, 2026 @ 08:26 PST

Science journalist Adam Becker speaks with DeSmog about how Silicon Valley tech billionaires have invented new forms of greenwashing and climate denial in their quest for ever-more fantastic technology.