Pope says the Earth is 'beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth'

Pontiff issues strong environmental plea in encyclical

The leak has fuelled rumours of a scheme to take down the Pope (Getty Images)

Pope Francis cautioned against greed and excessive consumption as part of his encyclical.

The Pontiff blamed "throwaway culture" for climate change, and said that the wealthy had a duty to help the poor.

The Pope, who has been described as more liberal than his predecessors by some, issued the warning in "Laudato Si", which translates as "Be Praised".

The letter runs to 192 pages and blames humankind for the destruction of the planet.

The World Health Organisation estimates that 3.7 million people around the world die prematurely from air pollution, and says that 88 per cent of those deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

It has also been estimated that the USA uses 20 per cent of the planet's energy, despite only making up 5 per cent of the world's population.

NASA estimates that Arctic ice has declined by 13.3 per cent over the last decade.

In the UK, we produce 290 million tonnes of waste every year.

The Pope tackled the topic of climate change and its ramifications.