Pope tells oil to get clean

POPE Francis has called on leading oil executives to fasttrack a transition to clean energy, warning that satisfying the world’s energy needs “must not destroy civilisation”.

The Vatican said Francis held a two-day conference with the executives as a followup to his encyclical three years ago that called on people to save the planet from climate change and other environmental ills.

Participants included the CEOs of ENI, British Petroleum, ExxonMobil and Statoil, as well as scientists and managers of investment funds.