Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders: The World is Experiencing Accelerating and Unprecedented Crises Due to the Devastating Impacts of Climate Change

Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders: Islam Has Shown Great Concern for the Environment and Made Its Protection a Religious, Moral, and Humanitarian Duty

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam: Promoting the Values of Human Fraternity Includes Maintaining Balance and Harmony Between Humanity and Nature and Safeguarding Planet Earth

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, emphasized that the world is currently facing accelerating and unprecedented crises in food security, water scarcity, and agriculture due to the devastating consequences of climate change. He noted that addressing these challenges requires collective efforts from individuals and institutions, alongside strengthening collaborative action that combines a forward-looking vision with moral responsibility to secure a better and more sustainable future for humanity.

In a speech at the seminar titled “Keen on Achieving Sustainability: Fostering the Ties between Faith and Ecological Resilience”, organized by Nahdlatul Ulama in Indonesia, the Secretary-General stated that Islam has shown profound concern for the environment, making its protection a religious, moral, and humanitarian duty. He added that promoting the values of human fraternity extends beyond achieving harmony among people; it also encompasses maintaining balance and harmony between humanity and nature while ensuring the preservation of planet Earth.

Abdelsalam also praised the pioneering efforts of Nahdlatul Ulama and its distinguished members, whose numbers exceed 100 million across Indonesia, for their invaluable humanitarian contributions. He further remarked that the recognition of Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah with the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity last year marked a significant milestone and a well-deserved international acknowledgment of their efforts to serve humanity across various domains of life.

Judge Abdelsalam also highlighted a leading example of cooperation among religious leaders in addressing climate change last year, when His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and His Holiness Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, united to sign the “Call of Conscience: Abu Dhabi Joint Statement for Climate”. This significant step was accompanied by the inauguration of the Faith Pavilion at COP28, the first of its kind in the history of the Conference of the Parties. The pavilion served as a global platform that brought together religious leaders, environmental experts, academics, and representatives of civil society, youth, women, and indigenous communities to find tangible and effective solutions to climate change. 

He added that this year, the Muslim Council of Elders organized the Faith Pavilion at COP29, aiming to build on the achievements of the previous edition and amplify the participation of ethical and spiritual voices. This effort reflects the importance of involving religious institutions in tackling climate change, recognizing their influential role in raising awareness and inspiring collective action to achieve harmony between humanity and nature while safeguarding the planet for future generations.

The Secretary-General concluded by expressing his hope that the seminar, with its activities and initiatives such as tree planting, would serve as a practical model of shared human responsibility rooted in ethical values and spiritual principles toward planet Earth and stressed that such efforts are tangible steps that carry a message of hope for future generations, demonstrating a collective commitment to building a better and more sustainable future for all.