Description: Screenshot of the FGD of “Advocacy Work in Religious and Interfaith Engagement to Manage Environmental Risks” on February 13, 2025.
In response to increasingly complex environmental challenges, various religious and interfaith organizations in Indonesia are coming together to manage environmental risks more effectively. As the first step in a series of upcoming meetings, Eco Bhineka Muhammadiyah, in collaboration with the Low Carbon Development Initiative (LCDI), held a Forum Group Discussion (FGD) titled “Advocacy Work in Religious and Interfaith Engagement to Manage Environmental Risks” on February 13, 2025.
“This event aims to strengthen faith-based advocacy on environmental and climate change issues,” said Hening Parlan, Director of Eco Bhineka Muhammadiyah. In her opening remarks, she emphasized that this forum serves as an important momentum to build interfaith cooperation to tackle various environmental challenges. “According to data from BNPB in 2024, around 2,100 disasters occurred in Indonesia, with 98 percent of them closely related to climate change. Therefore, collaboration with LCDI, Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah, and support from GreenFaith Indonesia is part of the effort to strengthen faith-based advocacy for environmental sustainability,” she added.
Description: The presentation session of Hening Parlan as the Director of Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah during the FGD of “Advocacy Work in Religious and Interfaith Engagement to Manage Environmental Risks” on February 13, 2025.
In this discussion, several interfaith leaders shared their thoughts and experiences. Prof. Dr. Ir. Prabang Setyono, Senior Expert of the Muhammadiyah Environmental Council and environmental science expert from Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), highlighted the important role of religious organizations in building community-based environmental advocacy. He explained that Muhammadiyah, through Eco Bhinneka, has carried out various educational and advocacy programs related to the environment, including natural resource conservation and waste management.
From the Christian perspective, Prof. Dr. Binsar P. P. Simanjuntak, Rector of the Jakarta School of Philosophy and Theology, emphasized how environmental theology in Christian teachings can provide an ethical foundation for environmental protection actions. “By upholding the values of social justice and moral responsibility, religion is believed to be an effective tool in raising ecological awareness in society,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sapardi, an academic from the Sriwijaya State Buddhist Religious College, discussed how Buddhist teachings emphasize the balance between humans and nature. “The concepts of Metta (loving-kindness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (sympathetic joy), and Upekkha (equanimity) form the basis for building ecological awareness and encouraging more responsible environmental behavior,” Sapardi said.
As one of the largest religious-based organizations in Indonesia, Muhammadiyah, through Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah, has actively established collaborations with various interfaith communities on environmental issues.
This discussion was supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) and in collaboration with Bappenas and Oxford Policy Management Limited (OPML). This initiative aims to optimize the role and moral authority of religious organizations in environmental risk management and promote more sustainable development.
Description: The participants of the FGD of “Advocacy Work in Religious and Interfaith Engagement to Manage Environmental Risks” on February 13, 2025.
Furthermore, Hening Parlan emphasized that although global political dynamics often influence international climate agreements, environmental protection efforts in Indonesia must continue with an approach rooted in religious values. By leveraging the moral authority held by religious communities, it is hoped that environmental advocacy will become stronger and have a tangible impact.
“Through this interfaith collaboration, this initiative not only represents a tangible form of mutual cooperation in protecting the environment but also a concrete step towards a greener and more sustainable future,” she concluded.
