DHAKA: Pope Francis has called for further action on climate change saying that it was ‘a critical moment of history’, on the first day of his visit to the US.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 11,000 people on the White House South Lawn, the pontiff said the problem could ‘no longer be left to a future generation’.

President Barack Obama said the Pope reminded people ‘that we have a sacred obligation to protect our planet’.

The Pope will later conduct the first canonization on US soil, reports the BBC.

Speaking in English - one of the few times the Argentine pontiff is expected to do so during the week’s many events - Pope Francis praised President Obama for recent proposals aimed at tackling air pollution.

Time remains to make the changes required but the Pope warned this was ‘a critical moment of history’.

The issue is a divisive one in US politics, with one Republican congressman boycotting the Pope’s speech to Congress on Thursday because of the pontiff’s stance.

All the leading Republican presidential candidates oppose action to tackle climate change because they say it will hurt the economy.

BDST: 2056 HRS, SEPT 23, 2015
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** Obama welcomes Pope to US