A third of Catholics would make their lifestyle greener if Pope Francis makes an official statement on climate change, a new survey claims.

A poll of 1,049 Catholics in England and Wales found 72pc were concerned that the world's poorest people were being hit by climate change and more than three-quarters felt a moral obligation to help them.

Four-fifths (80pc) of those quizzed in the YouGov survey said that, as Catholics, they felt a duty to care for the Earth.

The survey also revealed that 33pc of Catholics are likely to change their lifestyle if Pope Francis makes an official statement on climate change, for example by trying to drive less or recycle more.

The survey was released ahead of a much-anticipated encyclical, a letter from the pope to Catholic churches worldwide, which is expected to focus on care for the environment and the relationship between climate change and poverty.