During his speech at the ‘Climate-Responsible Finance - a Moral Imperative towards Children’ conference in Geneva

Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders : Our religious, moral and social obligations call for us to unite our efforts against the negative effects of climate change

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam has reaffirmed the importance of uniting efforts against the negative effects of climate change while pointing to the joint religious, moral and social obligations in countering this danger which threatens the future of our planet and children. 

During his speech at the ‘Climate-Responsible Finance - a Moral Imperative towards Children’ conference held in Geneva, Abdelsalam added, “The Muslim Council of Elders, led by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, is putting forth various efforts to identify viable solutions to the issue of climate change, as well as calling on relevant parties to support and take necessary steps towards achieving renewable energy.”

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders added, “On February 4, 2019, His Eminence the Grand Imam Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb and his brother His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, signed the historic Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi, which called on world leaders, policymakers, and the global economy to take serious action and immediate intervention to confront the phenomenon of climate change and collaborate to find effective solutions to protect our planet.”

Abdelsalam remarked, “This sentiment was echoed in the historic dialogue held in November last year by the Muslim Council of Elders at the East and West Forum in Bahrain with senior officials of the Catholic Church and other prominent religious figures, including His Eminence the Grand Imam and His Holiness Pope Francis. This in turn displayed a shared responsibility among different religious figures towards the common challenges faced by humanity, particularly the climate crisis and the negative impact it has had on health, food, and the environment, which has in turn affected millions of people around the world.”

Abdelsalam also called on participants in the event, whether as religious leaders, scholars, experts, or children's rights activists, to commit to working and pushing for the practical implementation of the recommendations put forward on the 9th of May 2022, as well as supporting efforts to accelerate the vital transition and reliance on renewable energy sources. This, he noted, is one of the most important steps we can take at this time to safeguard children, the environment, and future generations.

Abdelsalam reiterated the Muslim Council of Elders' commitment to supporting international efforts aimed at finding effective climate solutions. He emphasized that this appeal, as well as the "Faith and Science" appeal issued by the meeting of religious leaders held at the Vatican in 2021, represents a pressing scientific and ethical necessity towards both current and future generations, with the goal of supporting efforts to rely on renewable energy sources. He also affirmed that this is one of the most urgent measures today to protect children, future generations, and humanity.