ISLAMABAD: Adviser on climate justice and energy, Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Ingrid Naess-Holm, on Thursday called upon religious figures for their contributions to create awareness about how to save the altering environment.

Speaking at a day-long conference Ingrid Naess-Holm emphasised how conservation of creation was at the heart of all religions.

The NCA has worked for peace building and interfaith harmony with religious actors in Pakistan for a decade. At the conference, religious figures and civil society and government representatives shared their experiences with a group of Norwegian religious leaders who have been actively engaged in work on climate change at home and abroad.

The conference aimed at providing inspirations, ideas and knowledge and foster new relationships as well as alliances for concrete action to tackle climate change. The focus of discussion revolved around conserving water and planting trees.

Ingrid Naess-Holm elaborated on the extreme weather conditions in Pakistan and around the world.

“Storms are getting stronger, dry places getting drier and wet wetter. Countries least responsible for the deteriorating environment are being worst hit. Climate change is about people, their lives and needs a fair solution,” said Ingrid Naess Holm.

Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Syed Abu Ahmad Akif urged religious actors to take messages of conservation of environment from all religions to create awareness about conservation of natural resources.

“God created the world in balance. But humans have disturbed that balance out of greed. At least once a month, imams must preach about the impacts of climate change during sermons and congregations, giving examples from the life of the holy Prophet and references from other religions,” he said, elaborating how faith-based leaders could influence everyone to contribute to the conservation of natural resources.

Leader of the Pakistan Ulema Council, Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, urged the ministry to reach out to the prayer leaders to educate them about threats to climate change.

“Many do not understand the issue and cannot explain to people the significant impacts of climate change. Congregations can be the best times to spread the messages about everyone can do their part to save their environment,” said Tahir Ashrafi.

The participants were informed that Pakistan was among the countries most affected by climate change. Extreme weather events, including floods, droughts, heatwaves as well as changing monsoon patterns and rapidly melting glaciers threaten food security, water, energy and health, and carry high human and financial costs that undermine development.

The speakers said the 2015 Paris climate conference resulted in a new international agreement on climate change signed by 195 countries and was applicable to all to keep global warming below two degrees centigrade. Religious actors and interfaith networks featured prominently among the civil society actors at the conference, highlighting dimensions of conscience, moral responsibility, theological teaching and ethical reflection to help develop strategies so we can cope with and respond to climate change.

Reverend Einar Tjelle, who is the deputy general secretary Church of Norway, encouraged people to challenge political leaders about important things in the future and coming generations.

“They must ask them to take brave decisions for our future generations,” said Einar Tjelle, explaining how members from all religious figures from Islam, Hinduism, Buddhists and Christians were coming together to realise the dangers of global warming and playing a role to save the planet.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2016