An analysis of the critiques to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development: the contribution of the encyclical Laudato sì of Pope Francis

The year 2015 was characterized by the approval of two important documents for the issue of sustainability and environmental protection: the United Nations 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si’. Despite the global consensus raised by the two documents, from the Governments to the civil society, they have been subject to some criticisms. Considering the criticisms raised to the 2030 Agenda and the obstacles to achieving the SDGs, this study aims to determine whether the encyclical Laudato Si’, through its integral ecology paradigm, contributes to the SDGs' achievement. If the encyclical provides a theoretical and practical contribution, it is investigated in which fields and disciplinary areas it is mobilizing actors to support the SDGs implementation, and in which it does not provide a practical contribution, making an alliance necessary to fill the respective gaps that hinder their achievement. With qualitative analysis, the Agenda and the encyclical are examined, through reference to authors' studies, opinions and interviews of experts of different disciplines (economic, religious, educational), being multidisciplinary documents; furthermore, the concrete initiatives activated by the two documents are examined. The results obtained demonstrate that at the political level, a political project, a political movement, or a law around integral ecology has not materialized until now. However, the encyclical contributes to the SDGs' achievement in other fields of action, that flank political action. This was an expected result. The integral ecology is taking shape in educational programs, in a different economic paradigm, in the spiritual dimension, in lifestyles, in a common thought for community development projects. An alliance between the 2030 Agenda and the encyclical Laudato Si’ therefore is possible and urgently needed for the mobilization of all the actors.