Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders: The environmental crisis requires global solidarity and a collaborative approach that is inclusive and multilateral

The Faith Pavilion at COP29 has officially launched in Baku, Azerbaijan, with participation from over 97 organizations representing 11 faiths and sects. This initiative features more than 40 diverse sessions offering religious and ethical perspectives on enhancing climate action efforts.

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, highlighted that the Faith Pavilion at COP29 represents a major advancement in supporting global climate efforts. He noted that this initiative builds on the momentum and success achieved in the previous edition at COP28, adding that the Faith Pavilion is COP28's gift to the world, aiming to unify religious voices and gather moral and spiritual energies to address the escalating climate challenges that threaten humanity and the future of our planet.

Judge Abdelsalam emphasized that the environmental crisis requires global solidarity, inclusive and multilateral collaboration, and the integration of diverse approaches. He explained that the Faith Pavilion aims to introduce innovative visions and sustainable solutions that enhance responses to the climate crisis. The initiative underscores the need to combine scientific frameworks with spiritual and ethical values to inspire humanity toward decisive steps to protect the planet, promoting a culture of Earth stewardship as a divine trust that calls for collective responsibility and dedicated action.

The second edition of the Faith Pavilion at COP29, running from November 12 to 22, emphasizes interfaith collaboration for Earth stewardship. It seeks to explore effective adaptation planning practices by faith actors, promote sustainable lifestyles through faith, investigate the non-economic impacts of climate change from faith-based perspectives, address access to loss and damage funding, and advocate for local accountability mechanisms and inclusive climate justice.

The first edition of the Faith Pavilion took place at COP28, hosted by the United Arab Emirates last year, marking the first such initiative in the history of COP events. Organized by the Muslim Council of Elders in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, UAE’s Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, and UNEP, it provided a global platform for exchanging perspectives and seeking solutions to the climate crisis. The Pavilion featured over 360 speakers from 54 countries and 9 religious sects, and more than 70 organizations worldwide across 65 sessions. The initiative garnered international engagement, with approximately 4,000 articles published in 30 languages across 70 countries, accounting for 7% of the media coverage related to COP28.