Milica Kočović De Santo is a water defender working to oppose a hydroelectric plant in Stara Planina National Park, between Serbia and Bulgaria.
Religious leaders commit to protecting the Planet and combatting climate change
Religious world leaders gathered to call on G7 ministers to protect our Planet, to “transform this desert into a forest”. And send them a letter to encourage cooperation and peace.
Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Hindus have the same goal at heart: protecting our environment and common home. We live in a world made up of diverse religions and it’s beautiful to see how we can all work together and overcome conflicts in the name of a common will. This was the starting point for the interfaith dialogue held in Bologna, Italy, organized by Connect4Climate in preparation for the G7 Environment.
As part of the All4TheGreen week, religious leaders gathered to urge the G7 Environment Ministers to boldly act on climate change and environmental protection. Faith representatives engaged in dialogue about how their faith traditions call for environmental protection and to express the importance of protecting our Earth, our Our Common Home, and to highlight the important role religions can take in tackling climate change. “Never stop looking for consensus among governments to protect Our Common Home,” said Mons. Matteo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Greater Bologna, during the interfaith dialogue.
The Earth is not a possession but a partner on our journey
In a letter sent to the interfaith dialogue, H.H. Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, wrote: “Let us remind our nations that the Earth is not a possession but a partner on our journey.” His words were shared with the leaders present in Cappela Farnese where a message from Pope Francis was also delivered. “Action is the key word in order to transform this desert into a forest”, reminded the Holy Father.
During the interfaith dialogue, the multi-religious leaders, in a call for world leaders to act on climate change, emphasized the urgency of developing a global green economy and building a more efficient, conscious and mindful society in order to end poverty. As Reverend Russel emphasized, “we cannot address poverty without addressing environmental protection and climate change.”
We must make the Earth a better place for all
The faith representatives also underlined the imperative for humanity to moderate its consumption and conserve a healthy environment for all living beings. “Mankind has an obligation to make the planet a better home for all”, stressed Alfonso Arbib, President of the Assemblea Rabbinica dell’Unione delle Comunità Ebraiche Italiane.
The Bologna Interfaith Charter
As a result of this meeting, the religious representatives signed the “Bologna Interfaith Charter: Living Our Values, Acting for Our Common Home”, which was delivered to the G7 Environment Ministers on the opening day of their meeting. The Charter states that “The Bologna G7 Environment Meeting is taking place at a moment of both great peril and great promise. With the Paris Agreement in danger, we must do everything possible to ensure its successful implementation. Due to the scale and pace of harm that has already been inflicted upon our planet, we are the last generation who can turn this crisis around before it is too late. At the same time, implementing climate change solutions creates new opportunities to improve human well-being and promote a more just economy.”
Toxic substances in Kamchatka’s waters have killed 95% of marine fauna and caused health problems for surfers. The causes, however, are still unknown.
HS2 is a high-speed railway designed to boost low carbon travel in the UK. However, its construction is causing major destruction to ancient woodlands.
Ecocide is a crime against the Earth and, therefore, human beings. The battle to recognise environmental offences as international crimes continues.
Autumn Peltier is a water defender who began her fight for indigenous Canadians’ right to clean drinking water when she was only eight years old.
As wildfires ravage California and the West Coast of the US several cities have been shrouded in smoke and orange fog. The scenes are eerie and apocalyptic.
Salman Khairalla is an Iraqi activist who’s been fighting to protect his country’s marshes, a key water resource, since 2007.
Dozens of people who fell ill because of toxic fumes and waste from a lead refinery on the outskirts of Mombasa have found justice in court.
Dozens of people who fell ill because of toxic fumes and waste from a lead refinery on the outskirts of Mombasa have found justice in court.