COP28 Will Promote The Inclusion Of Religious Leaders In The Climate Debate

The Dubai climate summit, COP28, will feature, for the first time in the history of these global conclaves for the fight against climate change, a "Pavilion of Faith" with the aim of promoting the inclusion of religious leaders in the debate and "amplify" the message.

The new space will host panels with religious, political and scientific leaders, in addition to promoting intergenerational dialogue with the participation of young religious leaders and indigenous representatives.

The president of COP28, Sultan Al Yaber, met this Wednesday with Pope Francis, to whom he has informed that they will seek to include religious organizations in the debate and with whom he has debated the need for a detailed action plan to provide a solid and comprehensive response to the climate emergency, once progress in complying with the Paris Agreement has been evaluated.

Summit of religious leaders

To this end, they have designed interreligious initiatives, among which, together with the Pavilion of Faith, a global summit for religious leaders stands out on November 6 and 7 in Abu Dhabi.

The event will bring together religious leaders, academics and scientists to address the Global Stocktake (process of evaluating collective progress in compliance with the Paris Agreement) and sign a declaration to advance climate action, the COP28 organization has reported. .

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Among other issues, the Abu Dhabi summit will discuss the ethical responsibilities of religious leaders in addressing the climate crisis and call for greater ambition at COP28 and beyond COP28.

Ask Pope Francis to join COP28

During the meeting, Al Yaber expressed his gratitude to the Vatican for its defense of climate action and extended an invitation to Pope Francis to join COP28, according to the same source.

"Our goal is to ensure that COP28 amplifies the call to action of religious leaders and we plan to do so through the world summit of religious leaders in Abu Dhabi," defended Al Yaber.

On October 4, the Pope issued an apostolic exhortation in which he harshly attacks climate change deniers and "a policy incapable of confronting, due to power and economic interests, the environmental crisis."

According to the same source, the COP28 presidency has collaborated with The Vatican, the Muslim Council of Elders and the United Nations Environment Program to ensure inclusion in the COP process by integrating religious organizations into the climate debates.