Fossil-fuel advocating Australian PM urged to heed Pope's climate message

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been urged on Friday by government ministers, church leaders and climate activists to heed the advice of Pope Francis' statement on climate change.

Pope Francis has called for urgent action to cut carbon emissions and said developed countries such as Australia needed to take the lead.

The Pope's 200-page document advocates the drastic reduction of fossil fuel use.

Abbott, a practicing Catholic, abolished a price on carbon emissions after taking office in 2013 and remains a vocal advocate of the coal industry.

Just last week, Abbott described wind farms as "visually awful" and noisy but Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart said on Friday that Abbott was not beyond redemption.

Hart said political leaders across the world needed to re- examine their views and consider the challenge set out in Pope Francis' encyclical.

"I think we have to take comments as of today rather than as of yesterday," he told reporters on Friday.

The Pope's statement also drew support from a senior minister in the Abbott government.

When asked on Friday if he and the prime minister should give great weight to the Pope's comments, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) : "I think everyone will."

The Australian Climate Foundation (ACF) described the Pope's statements as a game changer.

"Tony Abbott is a man of faith and I would expect the Pope's statement to have a bigger impact on him than me, or perhaps scientists, telling him about climate change," ACF chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy told Australian Associated Press. Endi