The Christian god is an absolutist ideology and an appeal to authority. I am not surprised the pope is asking people to trust, I am surprised he is asking people to trust scientists instead of telling us to trust him and his church and their interpretation of the bible.
He could had told us to trust science but that's not what he said, he said to listen to scientists because they are precise. He could have told us god told him scientists who claim we are to blame are right about this one, instead he is giving these people authority and calling mankind stupid while making gestures hitting his own head on camera.
It has nothing to do with populism, which is supposed to be democracy, which is still faulty. This is about the reason why someone who is supposed to be the representation of an all-knowing creature would prefer to give command to others who may not even share the faith. It's unheard of, goes against all history and logic given that he could have just offered any solutions scientists are offering and say god gave him the answers.