Turkish MP highlights role of religions in tackling climate challenges A Spiritual Call to Action

Religious leaders' summits can play an important role in drawing attention to the climate crisis and mobilising citizens to fight climate change, said Şamil Ayrım, an MP of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

He made the remarks at the plenary session “World Religions for a Green Planet” within the framework of the Global Summit of Religious Leaders taking place in Baku on November 5, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

According to Ayrım, climate change is not only an environmental problem but also a moral and spiritual problem.

“In all religions, environmental protection is seen as an important issue. Religion can play a powerful role in solving climate problems. We should continue our joint efforts for the sake of a green world,” Ayrım noted.

Addressing the plenary session, Ravan Hasanov, Executive Director of the Baku International Centre for Multiculturalism, said that 80 per cent of the world's population have religious beliefs, so the platform of interreligious dialogue is of serious importance.

Hasanov noted that despite differences in religions, all people are united by a common responsibility for the preservation of the planet and the promotion of human development.

According to Hasanov, inter-religious dialogue is essential for solving environmental crises.

“Some believe that environmental protection is not essentially a matter of faith. However, I am convinced that interreligious dialogue is extremely important because environmental crises touch national, economic and cultural boundaries, affecting all societies. Our planet is the common heritage of all humanity,” he said.

For information, climate change affects the environment in many different ways, including rising temperatures, sea level rise, drought, flooding, and more. These events affect things that we depend upon and value, like water, energy, transportation, wildlife, agriculture, ecosystems, and human health.

In order to maintain momentum in the global response to climate change and ensure continuous, incremental progress, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is held annually.

This year, the COP conference, namely COP29, will be held in the Azerbaijani capital Baku from November 11 to 22, welcoming around 70,000 to 80,000 international guests, including leaders from governments, business and civil society to advance concrete solutions to the record-high global temperatures, and extreme weather events affecting people around the globe.

A key focus of COP29 will be on finance, as trillions of dollars are required for countries to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change.

By Khagan Isayev