Pope Francis waves to Filipino well wishers at a street in Manila, Philippines. Photograph: Francis R. Malasig/EPA

Pope Francis says there are limits to freedom of expression, especially when it insults or ridicules someones faith.

Speaking on Thursday about the Paris attacks while en route to the Philippines, Francis defended freedom of expression as not only a fundamental human right but a duty to speak ones mind for the sake of the common good.

But he said there were limits.

By way of example, he referred to Alberto Gasparri, who organises papal trips and was standing by his side. He said: If my good friend Dr Gasparri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch. Its normal. Its normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others.

The pope also said he is convinced that global warming is mostly manmade and that he hopes his upcoming encyclical on the environment will encourage negotiators at a climate change meeting in Paris to take courageous decisions to protect Gods creation.

Francis has spoken out frequently about the culture of waste that has imperiled the environment.

While in the Philippines, Francis will meet with survivors of the 2013 typhoon Haiyan, which the government has said was an example of the extreme weather conditions that global warming has wrought.

I dont know if it [human activity] is the only cause, but mostly, in great part, it is man who has slapped nature in the face, he said. We have in a sense taken over nature.

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Pope Francis: there are limits to freedom of expression