LAUDATO SI' and its influence on sustainable development five years later: A first LOOK at the academic productivity associated to this encyclical

Five years ago, Pope Francis published the encyclical Laudato si', a little before that the United Nations ratified the agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The media pressure around this Papal document was intense to say the least, not only because the Catholic Church was clearly postulating itself in the face of the deep socio-economic and environmental crisis we are still experiencing, but also because of the possible “sustainable contributions” that the papal letter addressed. What has been its reflection in terms of sustainable politics and economics, as well as in sustainable social entrepreneurship? What strengths and initiatives does the academic community recognize in this document? What follows is a first review of academic documentation that makes this encyclical the most cited Catholic text in the highest ranked and most influential journals dealing with scientific, social, economic development, and theological issues from a socio-environmental perspective. Finally, some critiques and contributions to the encyclical are presented from a scientific perspective.