The Great Mosque of Mecca surrounds Islam’s holiest place, the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia (Flickr/ Al Jazeera English)
Last updated on 15 July 2015, 12:24 pm
Islamic declaration adds to growing pressure religious leaders exert on richer nations to reduce impact on Earth’s climate
By Kieran Cooke
Human beings could cause the ending of life on the planet, says a group of Islamic scholars − and countries round the world, particularly the rich ones, must face up to their responsibilities.
Climate change, they say, is induced by human beings: “As we are woven into the fabric of the natural world, its gifts are for us to savour – but we have abused these gifts to the extent that climate change is upon us.”
The views of the scholars – some of the strongest yet expressed on climate from within the Muslim community – are contained in a draft declaration on climate change to be launched officially at a major Islamic symposium in Istanbul in mid-August.
Allah, says the declaration, created the world in mizan (balance), but through fasad (corruption), human beings have caused climate change, together with a range of negative effects on the environment that include deforestation, the destruction of biodiversity, and pollution of the oceans and of water systems.
…(read more).
and see:
Can Islamic scholars change thinking on climate change?
August 19, 2015
Nature
The Islamic Climate Change Declaration Could Be More Effective Than Pope Francis’s Encyclical
August 19, 2015
New Republic
Major Islamic Climate Change Declaration Released
August 18, 2015
Press Release
Global Climate Change
Environment Ethics
Environment Justice