Baku: The Global Summit of Religious Leaders for Climate, initiated under the auspices of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, began today in Baku. The event is organized by the Caucasus Muslims’ Board in collaboration with the Muslim Council of Elders, COP29 Presidency, the United Nations Environment Programme, and Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Work with Religious Organisations. The summit, themed “Global Religions for a Green Planet,” has attracted over 300 leaders and dignitaries from various religions, governments, civil society organizations, and policymakers globally.
According to Emirates News Agency, during the opening session, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, stressed that enhancing climate action is embedded in the spiritual messages of religions, which advocate for mercy, responsibility, and justice towards the Earth and future generations. He highlighted the intrinsic connection between religion and nature as expressed in sacred texts, emphasizing r
espect for nature and the responsibility towards God’s creations.
Abdelsalam noted the historic opportunity to transform religions into an active force against the climate crisis. He cited past efforts of religious leaders to tackle global challenges and the success of interfaith dialogues, which have led to initiatives like the Document on Human Fraternity and the Abrahamic Family House. These initiatives demonstrate the potential of interfaith collaboration in addressing global issues.
The General Secretary underscored the importance of the summit in Azerbaijan as a platform to unify religious leaders’ voices for climate action at COP29. He called for a global movement encouraging individuals to become protectors of the Earth, highlighting the need for integration between science and faith. He affirmed that climate action is essential for the planet’s future.
He reiterated the Muslim Council of Elders’ support for the summit, emphasizing their vision of enhancing religious leaders’ roles in climate actio
n. The Council has formed a global alliance with over 70 institutions from various faiths and organized the summit. Last year, they hosted the Global Faith Summit on Climate Action in Abu Dhabi, resulting in “The Call of Conscience: The Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement for Climate.”
Additionally, the Council introduced the Faith Pavilion at COP28, presenting the “Islamic Vision for Achieving Environmental Sustainability.” These initiatives, including the Abu Dhabi summit and the Faith Pavilion, mark significant steps in strengthening religions’ roles in addressing climate challenges.