The headquarters of the Vatican hosted on Monday 4 October a global symposium entitled "Faith and Science towards the Global Climate Summit (COP 26)", which brought together experts on climate change with religious leaders of different faiths, led by the Sheikh of Al-Azhar for the Islamic nation.

The aim of organizing this symposium, which was supervised by Pope Francesco, was to support global efforts to combat climate change, especially as the date of the World Summit on Climate Change is approaching, as it will be held during the month of November.

At the end of the symposium, a joint statement was issued, which was read by the Pope and addressed to the President of the 26th Climate Summit, Alok Sharma, and to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luigi Di Maio.

An invitation to raise the bar of ambitions

According to the final statement, the gathered clerics urged the governments of the world to abide by international treaties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to reach a global warming rate of no more than 1.5 percent compared to the pre-industrial level.

The statement called on the rich and industrialized countries, as they are responsible for climate changes, to lead the train of combating climate changes with all responsibility and to provide financial assistance to the poor countries that bear the burdens of this global phenomenon, although they are not responsible for it.

The participants called on the governments of countries to work to raise the ceiling of their ambitions in the path of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, by strengthening joint cooperation in order to pass to clean energy and sustainable land use.

The statement also urged clerics to involve religious institutions and their men in awareness and public debates about the environment, climate change and other topical topics related to preserving our planet.

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar: The Spiritual Impact of Preserving Our Planet

In his speech, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb, highlighted the importance of exploiting the spiritual influence of religions and the impact of religious discourse on people's hearts and on decision-makers as well, to get them to assume their full responsibilities towards the climate crisis that the world knows, and to contribute to spreading awareness of its seriousness and thus limiting its effects.

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar explained that Islam’s conception of the problem of the environment and climate change is based on 3 facts of faith: The first fact is that Islam looks at the static material existence as it views living creatures, so stone and dust are among God’s creatures and they glorify His praise, but we do not spend their glorification.

As for the second fact, it is that Islam sees in man the Caliph of God in his land, where he mocked everything in it and on it, and warned him against corrupting it in any form of corruption that disturbed the ecological system in general.

The third fact is that all of God’s prophets and guardians warned people against corruption in the earth after its reformation, and that God punishes the corrupters in this world before the hereafter.

The Pope of the Vatican signs the final statement of the conference "Faith and Science towards the Global Climate Summit" (communication sites)

Pope of the Vatican: Every person's destiny is attached to another human being

In turn, the Pope stressed in his speech that everyone in this world is linked to others, as no living being is independent of himself, and science, religion, and even traditions and customs confirm this.

He added that God created this universe in perfect harmony and solid interdependence, and every being is related to another being or beings, and therefore every being is complementary to the other, and this is how life proceeds, but with respect and appreciation, in order to preserve the other and the bounties of this planet.

From this point of view, the Pope made it clear that preserving the goods of our planet and combating climate change is a collective action in which everyone participates, without exception, motivated by the faith and belief that every believer carries in his heart.

The Pope concluded by talking about the role of clergymen and religious institutions and the need for their full involvement in environmental work, because in the eyes of all religions this is considered to be the core of faith and religiosity, which can actually be embodied during the upcoming global climate summit next November.