The climate crisis that is hitting the world today requires more people and organizations who care, are critical, and can take a role in preventing the rate of loss and damage to nature. GreenFaith Indonesia initiated Climate Justice Training activities on Wednesday 10 January 2024 at the Muhammadiyah Da’wah Center Building, 6th Floor, Central Jakarta. The training was attended by 27 participants who were Muslim, had a network or community, had an interest in climate change issues, were committed to the entire training process, and lived in Jabodetabek area. This activity was held in collaboration with GreenFaith Indonesia, with the Muhammadiyah Environmental Council, and Eco Bhinneka.
“In this first series, we will learn to understand what climate justice is, and what climate justice is from an Islamic perspective,” said Hening Parlan, National Coordinator of GreenFaith Indonesia when opening the training. This training will also be carried out for Christian, Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist and Confucian faith-based communities. “Meanwhile for the second training series, we will gather all participants who have taken part in this first session, from all religions, to learn together how to build campaigns and social movements,” she added.
GreenFaith Indonesia together with interfaith focuses on the movement to support a just energy transition. “We need to start the campaign to build awareness of renewable energy from the heart, so we have the slogan Clean Energy, Clean Heart,” said Hening, who is currently also active as Deputy Chair of the Muhammadiyah Environmental Council.
Furthermore, the material on Islamic Civilization was presented by Qaris Tajudin, a journalist who currently known as Director of the Tempo Institute and is active as a Member of the Tafkir Council of the Centre of Islamic Association. Qaris invited participants to group together to discuss and present what things triggered the Islamic Golden Age. He also stimulated participants to think critically about the relationship between the Islamic Golden Age and climate change. “To understand climate change we have to understand the scientific causes of it all. “The Golden Age opens human eyes that behind destiny there is a process, there are causes and effects that we follow,” explained Qaris. According to him, the spirit of the Golden Age is a scientific spirit to be able to understand problems from a religious perspective.
Qaris emphasized that through science, the role of humans is very large in preventing climate change. He then explained the meaning of the word Rabb in the Qur’an, Surah Al Baqarah verse 30, which means God Who Grows, Creates, Cares, and the word Khalifa in that verse means Substitute, Successor, or Follower. “The word “continuer” is for God who cares, not for God who has power, so the Khalifa ‘s job here is not to control other creatures, the Khalifa ‘s job is to care for other creatures,” he explained.
The training continued with the material Loss and Damage: Cross-Regime Crime in the Natural Resources and Environment Sector, delivered by the Executive Director of WALHI, Zenzi Suhadi. “Climate change occurs because there is a change in the ecosystem which experiences permanent damage in terms of materials and systems,” said Zenzi. Changes in this ecosystem, said Zenzi, are influenced by political and economic systems and policies. “The most vulnerable groups are those who have lost their civilization and are facing a destroyed natural system. “So our demand is how the state can restore the damaged system and strengthen society so that it is able to face the changes that are occurring,” he explained.
To encourage efforts to restore the ecosystem, said Zenzi, it is necessary to encourage groups of believers who are transformed into political attitudes. “Because the current destruction started from political decisions. “The state’s political decisions will be able to change if there are political demands from the community,” concluded Zenzi.
Parid Ridwanuddin from WALHI National, delivered the next material on Colonialism and the Climate Crisis. “Colonialism is control or control by one power over territory or people who depend on it,” he explained. According to Parid, colonialism works if there is a developing policy narrative, there is a network that connects one actor to another, and there are political actors and interests. “The largest emitting countries in the world, emitting multinational companies, and the world’s rich people have a responsibility for the emissions they produce,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Nana Firman, Senior Ambassador for GreenFaith International, delivered the next material on Islam and Climate Justice and emphasized that a temperature increase of 1 degree Celsius would have a major impact on climate change and life on Earth. Therefore, Nana invited the participants together with their organizations or communities to also think critically and take a role in changing the system.
“Who is responsible for this climate crisis? Let’s examine the root of the problem. Then what must be changed? The system must be changed, what to change it with, if it doesn’t work, how to run it, what are the alternatives?” she said, liven up discussion. Furthermore, Nana invited participants to return to reading or Iqra’ to the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah. “There is no planet B. Because the Prophet said, take care of this earth, because this earth is your mother. Who should you honor? Your mother, your mother, and your mother,” concluded Nana.
This activity, which was facilitated by David Effendi from the Muhammadiyah Wisdom and Public Policy Council (LHKP), ended with action plans for the participants individually and together with their communities. Participants will then receive training to create an effective campaign in February 2024.
