Climate Change Conference

Islamic leaders call for action against climate change

Il simposio riunito lo scorso martedì a Istanbul chiede ai 1,6 miliardi di musulmani di ridurre le proprie emissioni climalteranti per proteggere il fragile equilibrio del pianeta.

It could be called the “Istanbul declaration” and it’s a document of 8 pages drawn up on Tuesday 18th August by prominent Islamic scholars from 20 countries, from Indonesia to Uganda. Religious leaders, researchers, teachers and activists gathered to push 1.6 billion Muslims to take action against climate change.

 

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Delegates gathered after they drew up the declaration.

This declaration comes after Pope Francis’ encyclical letter “Laudato si’” of June and a few months after the beginning of the negotiations of COP21 Paris, where global leaders will gather together to find a new agreement, hopefully a binding one, on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions globally.

 

This is a symbolic action, since the Islamic world has not a single religious leader. Their stance on this issue raises no doubts: “The climate crisis needs to be tackled through collaborative efforts, so let’s work together for a better world for our children, and our children’s children”, said Din Syamsuddin, the chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) which represents 210 million Muslims.

 

The Declaration draws inspiration from the Qu’ran, the Islamic holy book and was written in two days by 60 Muslim leaders as well as the grand mufti’s (religious officials) of Lebanon and Uganda.

 

This asks rich Middle Eastern countries to implement a strong policy aimed to cut emissions by 2050 and to build a future where renewables are the only energy source used. “Human activity is putting such a strain on the natural functions of the earth – the declaration reads – that the ability of the planet’s ecosystems to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted”.

Cover image Islamic climate declaration

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