Jakarta – Human activities to meet the needs of life and satisfaction has lowered the quality and health of Planet Earth. Human greed has created unduly pressures our earth’s limit in its environmental carrying capacity. Our population continues to grow, causing unabated competition for resources resulting in global warming and climate change. In turn, climate change impact many people who have become more vulnerable with greater scarcity in food, water and energy. As one of the richest countries in forest and marine resources and well as with a great biodiversity in them, Indonesia potentially can contribute significantly in addressing climate change.
In the middle of the current environmental calamity caused by uncontrolled forest fires and the resulting haze affecting many areas in Sumatra, Kalimantan and even our neighboring countries, on October 15, 2015 in Jakarta, various religious leaders representing 6 of the major religious institutions and some environmental organization in Indonesia gathered in the “National Inter-Faith Assembly to address Environmental Destruction and address Climate Change”. This conference aims to build a moral movement to immediately stop the ongoing destruction of the environment.
This activity is a follow-up from the Declaration on ‘Indonesia Action in Saving the Earth (SIAGA BUMI)’ at the International Day of Peace on 21 September 2015 and which was witnessed by the Minister of Environment and Forests, Dr. Ir. Siti Nurbaya Bakar MSc. and Chairman of the Upper House/MPR, Dr. Zulkifli Hasan SE MM.
Prof. Din Shamsuddin, Chairman of the Steering Team SIAGA BUMI said, “Environmental destruction and the threat of climate change is a reflection of the moral challenges that we are facing today. I invite all elements of society today to take action in ensuring the survival of this earth”. Further more, he stated that “Based on moral ethics and religious values I believe that each one of us can make changes to restore a friendly relationship between us and nature for the welfare and benefit of all people”.
Meanwhile Dr. Efransjah, CEO of WWF Indonesia who is also one of the SIAGA BUMI Steering Team members added that, “There is no choice but to make immediate lifestyle changes. This movement with prominent faith leaders attempt to make each one of us aware of our task in maintaining the Earth’s sustainability to sustain human life for the present and future generations”. One of WWF’s publication “Living Planet Report 2014” states that in order to meet the current human needs for natural resources and environmental services, the requirements is the equivalent of 1.5 planet. “Environmental conservation is our business and for our interest in maintaining harmony in
living with others,” concluded Dr. Efransjah.
Through this national conference, religious and environmental leaders are coming together to call on all members of society to start action to make changes for the sake of environmental sustainability. This indeed is a very strategic step coming after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the UN General Assembly last September and ahead of the annual event of the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 21 starting late November in Paris.
