Leaders and representatives from all major world religions are laying the groundwork for the Global Faith Leaders Summit, which will take place this week in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and will underscore the crucial role of faith communities and religious institutions in addressing the climate emergency.  Ahead of the summit, high-level religious leaders representing over 30 faiths - as well as academics, environmental experts, youth, female leaders, and indigenous constituencies – are completing a months-long collaborative process to deliver an ambitious unified faith declaration on climate action, which will be signed by leading religious figures during the summit.   In recognition that over 84 percent of the global population identifies with a religion, the faith declaration on climate action will harness the collective influence of religious representatives, communities, and institutions to inspire humanity to advance climate justice.   The two-day summit is organized by the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE) in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).  COP28 President, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said: “Inclusion is at the heart of our COP Presidency – faith-based communities and organizations play a crucial role in helping the world address climate change. We aim to ensure that COP28 amplifies the call to action from global religious leaders to many of the world’s communities to drive and engage in climate action.”    Muslim Council of Elders Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam said: “We are looking forward to this landmark event, which will address the collaboration between faith and science and amplify the voices of religious leaders and faith communities in saving the future of our planet, mitigating the negative impact of climate change, and ensuring a just energy transition.”   His Eminence Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and a featured participant in the upcoming summit, added: “All of us participants – representing various religions and backgrounds – recognize we have a moral and religious responsibility to shape an ethic of care for the earth - our shared home. This summit, bringing together both the high-level and grassroots, is a call to all of humanity to safeguard nature.”  Taking place on November 6 and 7, the summit comes ahead of the 28th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28), which will be hosted by the UAE from November 30 to December 12, 2023.  During COP28, MCE – in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, UNEP, and a coalition of faith partners - will host the Faith Pavilion, the first pavilion of its kind at a COP event. This pioneering space is designed to be the focal point for fostering meaningful interfaith collaboration and engagement, with the ultimate goal of catalyzing effective and ambitious climate action.  COP28 UAE is expected to convene over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors. As mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement, COP28 UAE will deliver the first ever Global Stocktake – a comprehensive evaluation of progress against climate goals. The UAE will lead a process for all parties to agree upon a clear roadmap to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition and a “leave no one behind” approach to inclusive climate action.