Promoting the role of religion in environmental protection and responding to climate change

In his speech, Venerable Master Huynh Thanh Phong emphasized that environmental protection and climate change response are the common responsibility of all people and society, including religious people.

The presentation stated that in 2022, at the National Conference on "Promoting the role of religions in environmental protection and climate change response" held in Ho Chi Minh City, leaders of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and leaders of 43 religious organizations belonging to 16 religions in Vietnam, including Cao Dai Tien Thien, signed a Coordination Program on environmental protection and climate change response (2022-2026 period).

Supreme Patriarch Huynh Thanh Phong, Cao Dai Tien Thien Church.

To create a combined strength in environmental protection work, the participation of religious people plays a very important role, even though these are communities with unique spiritual lives, dependent on religious beliefs...

Many religions have been actively promoting environmental protection through talks, media linked to sermons and during religious holidays.

Religious dignitaries and monks regularly encourage followers to plant trees at places of worship; clean the environment before, during and after major holidays; and actively participate in environmental activities organized by the government.

At the same time, at religious activities, dignitaries and monks regularly propagate to followers the role and significance of environmental sanitation for beliefs, religions and human health.

Besides positive factors, there are still many limitations and shortcomings in the process of participating in environmental protection of religious communities. Environmental communication activities among religious people are not periodic, mainly based on events and not oriented according to plans; collective communication activities with a large number of religious people often take place in a short time; methods of disseminating environmental information in religions are mainly integrating and applying doctrines and canon laws, providing knowledge through collective movements.

Faced with the devastation of climate change, the Cao Dai Tien Thien Church calls on Cao Dai followers to clearly recognize the dangers of pollution and environmental degradation that humanity is facing; to share responsibility, and coordinate actions for the highest goal of protecting human life and all species.

The Church has proposed solutions to protect the environment and minimize natural disasters caused by climate change such as: Strengthening propaganda, mobilization, raising awareness and strictly implementing the Party's policies, the State's laws and policies on environmental protection and responding to climate change; promoting the role and mobilizing the participation of dignitaries and followers in propaganda and launching movements on environmental protection and responding to climate change; printing, compiling and providing the community with documents on the Party's and State's policies and laws; regulations in canon law and doctrines on environmental protection and responding to climate change; continuing to replicate and build new advanced models and examples in the Cao Dai community and religious organizations participating in environmental protection and responding to climate change.

The Standing Committee of the Cao Dai Tien Thien Church has signed a commitment with the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with the contents approved at the National Conference "Promoting the role of religions in environmental protection and responding to climate change".

Specifically, proactively propagate to raise awareness of responsibility of religious communities on environmental protection and climate change response; deploy solutions to contribute to changing community behavior on environmental protection; integrate environmental topics into monthly religious activities; strengthen capacity building for self-responsibility and mutual assistance among religious communities, between religious and non-religious people when natural disasters occur; The Standing Committee of the Church coordinates propaganda and mobilization for environmental protection among Cao Dai followers.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/phat-huy-vai-tro-cua-ton-giao-tham-gia-bao-ve-moi-truong-va-ung-pho-voi-bien-doi-khi-hau-10292431.html