They heads of the Catholic and Anglican churches also pledged to help protect the environment as they held meetings in the Vatican to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of theological discussion between the two faiths.
Differences remain over attitudes to women priests and gay marriage, but a joint statement emphasised their common ground.
"We can, and must, work together to protect and preserve our common home," it said.
"Living, teaching and acting in ways that favour a speedy end to the environmental destruction that offends the Creator and degrades his creatures."
Pope Francis and Justin Welby promised to fight "a culture of waste" where the most vulnerable of people in society were marginalised and discarded, and to work together for peace.
They also say they will work to bring education, healthcare, food, clean water and shelter to the poor.
The pair held a joint service in Rome on Wednesday.
Pope Francis called the meeting "a beautiful sign of fraternity".
The Anglican communion has around 85 million members, while the Roman Catholic Church has about 1.2 billion.
After King Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic church in 1534 to start the Church of England, there were no meetings between the leaders of the two faiths for more than 400 years.
The first such meeting was in 1966, when the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey met Pope Paul VI.
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