Faith organisations have a key role in moving forward progress on climate change, according to speakers at a Religion Media Centre briefing. The panel agreed that climate change is not just a matter for scientists and concerns about materialism, but it has deeper roots around the interdependence of life on earth, appreciation for creation, and an attitude of humility.
Many of the panellists were part of the Faith Pavilion, which ran in parallel alongside the political discussions at COP28 in Dubai. More than 300 speakers took part in 70 events exploring the way that faith is enmeshed in the climate debate. Faith leaders have been in the vanguard of a campaign to end the use of fossil fuels, a proposition which locked the COP28 delegates in disagreement. The panel suggested future climate negotiations should go beyond COP, to involve all communities most severely affected in the global south. Rosie Dawson hosted the discussion with guests:
- Lorna Gold, CEO Faith Invest
- Allen Ottaro, Founder and Executive Director of the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA)
- Rabbi Yonatin Neril, Executive director of the Interfaith Centre for Sustainable Development
- Carlos Zepeda, from Laudato Si Research Institute
- Chief Doliwura Zakaria, leader from Ghana and chairman of the steering committee for the African Union Interfaith Dialgue Forum
- Farwah Gulamali Khataw, from Faith For Our Planet, based in Pakistan
- Dr Fachruddin Mangunjaya, from the Centre for Islamic Studies Universitas Nasional in Indonesia
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