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Religious Leaders Present Islamic Declaration Adding Pressure On Government



08/31/2015

Muslim scholars and leaders come together and urges the government to take preventive step through the adaptation of clean energy.


Dailycsr.com – 19 August 2015 – The urgency of climate change issues had been made vocal by Pope Francis, which acted like an inspiration whereby many Muslim scholars and leaders from across twenty countries came together to form a “joint declaration” which highlighted the “severity of the problem”. The declaration was issued on Tuesday whereby “urging governments” to turn to hundred percent renewable energy or to embrace “zero emission strategy”.
 
The call needs to be put into action latest by the mid twenty first century if a positive result to be obtain, whereby it is a notable responsibility on the Muslim countries “to lead the charge”, they are situated on the oil-rich terrain. The phasing out trend of fossil fuel ought to begin there, says IPS. The “call to action” echoes the Islamic teaching and was “adopted” in Istanbul’s “International Islamic Climate Change Symposium”.

According to the statement issued by the Islamic Declaration on Climate  :
“Our species, though selected to be a caretaker or steward (khalifah) on the earth, has been the cause of such corruption and devastation on it that we are in danger ending life as we know it on our planet”.

“This current rate of climate change cannot be sustained, and the earth’s fine equilibrium (mīzān) may soon be lost…We call on all groups to join us in collaboration, co-operation and friendly competition in this endeavor and we welcome the significant contributions taken by other faiths, as we can all be winners in this race.”
 
Keeping the declaration at its center, the symposium aimed at arriving at a “unity and ownership” on a broader scale of Islamic community. Christiana Figueres, the “UNFCCC Executive Secretary”, welcomed the declaration by saying:

“A clean energy, sustainable future for everyone ultimately rests on a fundamental shift in the understanding of how we value the environment and each other.

“Islam’s teachings, which emphasize the duty of humans as stewards of the Earth and the teacher’s role as an appointed guide to correct behavior, provide guidance to take the right action on climate change.”
 
In the list of supporters of “Islamic Declaration” includes “government representatives” of Morocco and Turkey along with the “grand muftis” of Lebanon and Uganda. Moreover, UNFCCC remarked that various “religious leaders” belonging from all different faiths asserted in unison the intervention of governments in the climate change issues. This step added pressure on the government bodies to give attention to climate change challenges whereby reducing green house gas emission and lending the poor countries a helping hand to fight this battle. An important step in this regard will be taken in December during the “international climate treaty” scheduled to be “negotiated in Paris”.
 
The “papal encyclical letter” of Pope Francis dated sometimes in June urged the Catholics of the world to participate in this “fight against climate change”. In fact, the General Synod of the Church of England also called the global leaders to show their consent on the “low carbon future” plan. There are other Christian organizations too, who promised to promote “clean energy”. Leaders of Hindu sects will also issue their statement soon, while the Buddhists have plans of creating “a Buddhist Declaration on climate change”.
 
One of the prominent religious figures, Dalai Lama has frequently mentioned about the much needed step to be taken towards climate change whereby a reformation of the “global economic system” is a must. TasneemEssop, the head of “World Wildlife Fund’s Global Climate and Energy Initiative Head of Low Carbon Frameworks”, stated:

“The message from the Islamic leaders and scholars boosts the moral aspects of the global climate debate and marks another significant display of climate leadership by faith-based groups.

“Climate change is no longer just a scientific issue; it is increasingly a moral and ethical one. It affects the lives, livelihoods and rights of everyone, especially the poor, marginalised and most vulnerable communities.”
 
 
Source(s):
http://www.ipsnews.net/2015/08/islamic-declaration-turns-up-heat-ahead-of-paris-climate-talks/