Successful event on religions and climate change at Bali COP
December 18 2007:
“Even if the end of the world comes today, if you have a seed in your hand, then plant it, before you do anything else.” With this strong environmental statement by the Prophet Muhammad, began a groundbreaking side event on religions and climate change at the Bali COP conference last week – attended by the President of Indonesia.
More than 300 people attended the meeting, which was hosted by Conservation International Indonesia, the State Islamic University and the Indonesian Government - and with advice from ARC.
It started with several statements about global climate change by leaders of the major religions represented in Indonesia, including two Muslim leaders, the secretary general of the Protestant churches, the Chairman of the conference of Indonesian Bishops, the Chairmen of the Hindu Dharma Council and Confucian Council, and the Secretary General of the Buddhist sangha.
ARC contributed, and designed specially for the Bali COP, a special booklet of prayers and quotations from all of the faiths, emphasising the importance of taking care of, or respecting, nature.
Each leader explained their own religion’s sense of the balance between humanity, God and the universe. They also made commitments to guide their followers to help in the global effort to reduce carbon emissions.
In his speech, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, expressed how impressed he was at the religious commitment to the issue. "With a partnership between government, religious leaders and society, we can achieve a solution to environmental problems,” he said.
Through piety and real action, a better life in the world can be realized, he said. Since the environmental problem was caused by wrongly motivated hearts and minds of people, it is evident that only clear hearts and minds can save the earth back again, through avoiding deforestation, becoming energy efficient, being smarter in waste management.
"Changing hearts and minds can be implemented through religious education, moral education, and general education. And the first is the role of religious leaders," he said.
"We are pleased to help create a bridge for religious leaders to work with conservationist to save our world,” said Fachruddin Mangunjaya of CI Indonesia. “Common science and policy initiatives have not been sufficient as a response to climate change. We have realised that all stakeholders must be involved, including the religious sector."
He added that religious approaches were particularly critical in a country like Indonesia, where the majority of people were strongly religious.
See below for news stories in Bahasa Indonesia about the event.
The speakers were: Hidayat Nurwahid (Chairman of the Indonesia Consultative Assembly and a well-known Islamic leader) Din Syamsudin (Chairman of Muhammadiyah and the Indonesian Council of Ulama), Richard Daulay, (Secretary General, of the Communion of Indonesian Churches), Monsignor Dogma Situmorang (Chairman of the Conference of Indonesian Bishops), I Made Erata (Chairman of the Hindu Dharma Council of Indonesia) Bhiksu Vidya Sasana Sthavira, (Secretary General of the High Conference of the Indonesian Sangha), and WS Budi S Tanuwibowo (Chairman The Supreme Council for Confucianism in Indonesia)
The interfaith meeting for climate change was facilitated by State Ministry of Environment, Conservation International, and the State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
Pembukaan Pertemuan Lintas Agama dan Perubahan Iklim
Selasa, 11 Desember 2007, 13:47:42 WIB
Presiden SBY membuka Pertemuan Lintas Agama dan Perubahan Iklim di Hotel Melia, Nusa Dua, Bali, Selasa (11/12) siang.
Nusa Dua, Bali: Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono membuka Pertemuan Lintas Agama dan Perubahan Iklim di Hotel Melia, Nusa Dua, Bali, Selasa (11/12) sekitar pukul 13.35 WITA (12.32 WIB). Agama dapat memainkan peran untuk memobilisasi umatnya untuk lebih peduli terhadap perubahan iklim.
Acara diawali dengan pandangan para tokoh agama di Indonesia terhadap isu perubahan iklim. Diawali dengan sambutan Ketua MPR Hidayat Nurwahid yang menjelaskan bahwa Islam sangat concern terhadap persoalan lingkungan dan kelestarian bumi. “Bahkan seandainya kiamat terjadi hari ini, bila kita punya benih, tanamlah pohon itu saat ini juga. Itu arahan Nabi Muhammad SAW,” kata Hidayat yang juga dikenal sebagai salah satu tokoh islam.
Setelah itu, berturut-turut menyampaikan pandangannya enam tokoh yang mewakili agama-agama di Indonesia. Mereka adalah Din Syamsudin (Ketua MUI dan Ketua Umum PP Muhammadiyah), Richard Daulay (Sekjen Persekutuan Gereja Indonesia), Dogma Situmorang (Ketua Konferensi Wali Gereja Indonesia), I Made Erata (Ketua Persatuan Hindu Dharma Indonesia), Bhiksu Vidisasa (Sekjen Konferensi Agung Sangha Indonesia), dan Budi S. Tanuwibowo (Ketua Matakin – Konghucu).
Semua tokoh agama mengemukakan bahwa agama menekankan pentingnya menjaga keseimbangan huvbungan antara manusia dan Tuhan serta manusia dengan alam semesta. Mereka juga berkomitmen untuk membimbing umatnya menyelamatkan bumi dan kehidupan dari kerusakan akibat perubahan iklim.
Presiden SBY dalam sambutannya menyatakan gembira dengan komitmen para pemuka agama tersebut. "Dengan kebersamaan, kemitraan dan kerja sama yang baik antar pemerintah, tokoh agama, dan masyarakat luas maka komitmen tinggi penyelamatan lingkungan dapat dilakukan," ujarnya.
Pertemuan lintas agama dan perubahan iklim ini diselenggarakan oleh Kementeriian Negara Lingkungan Hidup, Universitas Islam Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, dan Coservation International. Pertemuan diikuti para tokoh agama sejumlah negara. (har)
NUSA DUA -- Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) menyambut baik komitmen para pemuka agama untuk membimbing umat menyelamatkan bumi dari kerusakan akibat perubahan iklim global. Hal itu dikatakan Presiden saat memberi kata sambutan dalam acara ''Religion and Conservation Dialog: Promoting Union to Prevent Forest Devastation and Climate Change'' di Nusa Dua, Bali.
''Dengan kebersamaan, kemitraan, dan kerja sama yang baik antara pemerintah, tokoh agama, dan masyarakat luas, maka komitmen tinggi penyelamatan lingkungan dapat dilakukan,'' katanya, Selasa (11/12). Hadir dalam kesempatan itu, Ketua MPR, Hidayat Nur Wahid; Ketua PP Muhammadiyah, Din Syamsuddin; Sekjen Persatuan Gereja Indonesia (PGI), Richard Daulay; Ketua Konferensi Waligereja Indonesia, D Situmorang; Ketua Harian Parisadha Hindu Dharma, I Made Erata; Sekjen Konferensi Agung Sangha Indonesia, Bhiksu Vidya Sasan Stavhira; dan Ketua Umum Majelis Tinggi Agama Konghucu Indonesia, WS Budi S Tanuwibowo.
Melalui doa, harapan yang tinggi, dan langkah nyata, kata SBY, kehidupan dunia yang lebih baik akan dapat terwujud. Pilihan menggandeng para tokoh agama dalam isu perubahan iklim, jelasnya, didasarkan pada kenyataan bahwa kerusakan lingkungan juga dipengaruhi oleh hati dan pikiran. Kerusakan di muka bumi, katanya, berawal dari hati dan pikiran manusia yang buruk. Sebaliknya, hati dan pikiran yang bersih tentu ingin menyelamatkan bumi, tidak merusak hutan, hemat menggunakan bahan bakar, pandai mengelola sampah, sehingga kerusakan alam dapat diminimalisasi.
"Mengubah hati dan pikiran manusia dapat dilakukan melalui pendidikan agama, pendidikan moral, dan pendidikan umum. Dan itu salah satu tugas pemuka agama," katanya. Ketua MPR, Hidayat Nur Wahid, mengatakan, tugas umat manusia adalah memperbaiki keadaan. Kendati, misalnya, kiamat terjadi pada abad ke-22, tugas manusia bukannya menambah kerusakan, melainkan memperbaiki keadaan.
Perintah agama paling sederhana dalam pelestarian alam, paparnya, adalah menanam pohon, meski kiamat sudah sangat dekat. Perubahan iklim, membuat seluruh umat bersatu. ''Dengan pemanasan global, kita saling membantu memerangi. Sebab, perubahan iklim tak bisa dilawan sendirian.'' aas
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