Islamic Help today joined Muslim leaders from across the world to launch the Islamic Climate Declara...

Islamic Help today joined Muslim leaders from across the world to launch the Islamic Climate Declaration calling for international action to combat climate change.

The Declaration was launched at the International Islamic Climate Change Symposium in Istanbul, Turkey, which was attended by representatives from more than 80 NGOs, governments and civil groups, along with religious leaders and academics

The Declaration emphasises the duty of the world’s 1.6 million Muslims to protect the earth by following the teachings of the Qur’an and Hadith. It calls on countries to phase out fossil fuels and opt for alternative renewable energy.

The Declaration, drafted by Muslim scholars around the world, also calls for a strong new deal to tackle climate change at UN talks in Paris in December 2015.

Islamic Help’s representation at the conference included a display showcasing our ‘green’ initiatives including our pioneering Eco Village in Tanzania.

The Eco Village, which will eventually support 160 orphans in specially designed homes, features an Eco Mosque and a permaculture farm and relies on sustainability and green energy.

Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), said: “A clean energy, sustainable future for everyone ultimately rests on a fundamental shift in the understanding of how we value the environment and each other.

“Islam’s teachings, which emphasize the duty of humans as stewards of the Earth and the teacher’s role as an appointed guide to correct behavior, provide guidance to take the right action on climate change.”

An Islamic Help spokesman said: “We’re proud to be associated with the Islamic Climate Declaration which is a truly momentous occasion. As Muslims, we are duty-bound to follow the teachings of Islam and our ‘green’ Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) who placed so much importance on looking after the environment and protecting it from harm.

“And as human beings, we have to act otherwise the legacy we leave for the generations to come is not one that they will thank us for.”