UAE set to host global faith summit on climate action ahead of COP28

By Vatican News

The Global Faith Summit on Climate Action, scheduled for 6-7 November in Abu Dhabi, is set to bring together leading religious figures ahead of the COP28 climate summit in early December.

Hosted by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, the event aims to highlight the pivotal role of faith communities and religious institutions in addressing the climate crisis.

Religious leaders and representatives from over 30 faiths, along with experts, youth, female leaders, and indigenous constituencies, have been collaborating to produce a unified faith declaration on climate action.

The declaration will be signed during the summit and is expected to harness the collective influence of faith communities and religious institutions to inspire climate justice globally.

Faith-based communities and climate action

Recognizing that over 84 percent of the world's population identifies with a religion, the faith declaration seeks to unite religious representatives, communities, and institutions to promote climate action.

The two-day summit is organized by the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE) in partnership with the Holy See, the COP28 Presidency, and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

In a press release, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President, highlighted the inclusive approach of the COP Presidency.

“Faith-based communities and organizations play a crucial role in helping the world address climate change, he said. “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.”

Moral responsibility to care for common home

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, expressed his hopes for the event and emphasized the importance of collaboration between faith and science in combating climate change and ensuring a just energy transition.

Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and a participant in the summit, stressed that participants from various religious backgrounds acknowledge their moral and religious duty to protect our planet.

“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,” he said. “This summit, bringing together both the high-level and grassroots, is a call to all of humanity to safeguard nature.”

Faith summit and COP28

The summit precedes the 28th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28), hosted by the UAE from 30 November to 12 December 2023.

During COP28, the Muslim Council of Elders, in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, UNEP, the Holy See, and a coalition of faith partners, will host the Faith Pavilion.

It will be the first pavilion of its kind at a COP event, serving as a central hub for fostering interfaith collaboration and engagement, with the ultimate goal of spurring effective and ambitious climate action.

COP28 UAE is expected to bring together over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors.

As per the Paris Climate Agreement mandate, COP28 UAE will deliver the first-ever Global Stocktake, a comprehensive assessment of progress toward climate goals.

The UAE will lead a process to reach a clear roadmap for accelerating global energy transition and adopting an inclusive approach to climate action, leaving no one behind.