Islamic thought can help the region attain a green future 

Islamic thought can help the region attain a green future 

Islamic thought can help the region attain a green future 
Saudi scholars advocated for the ecological preservation based on Qur’anic principles as far back as 1983. (SPA photo)
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US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s recent visit to China underscored the urgency of addressing climate change. While she expressed concerns about the adequacy of China’s efforts in combating this existential threat, Chinese officials asserted their commitment to their own vision of sustainability encapsulated in the concept of “Ecological Civilization.” 

This vision seeks to harmonize economic prosperity with ecological preservation over a century-long period. While the Joe Biden administration’s Western approach draws inspiration from seminal works including “Small is Beautiful” by E.F. Schumacher and “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson, China’s perspective is deeply entrenched in indigenous philosophies such as Taoism and Confucianism. These two views on sustainability are not irreconcilable, but they are distinct. 

Over the past half-century, less established environmental perspectives have often been met with wariness rather than recognized as valuable indigenous wisdom deserving documentation, amplification, and integration into a comprehensive global framework rooted in bulletproof science, and which should be embraced by communities worldwide, all of whom should feel directly impacted by climate change issues and recognize their role as part of the solution.  

Take, for instance, Islamic thinking, which carries a long tradition of sustainability and environmental stewardship. While we in Europe and North America were shaping many new environmental concepts, a set of Saudi Arabian scholars pioneered the “Islamic Principles for the Conservation of the Natural Environment” in 1983. 

This 25-page Islamic study, which proved influential in shaping policies across various Muslim states, asserted that the “protection, conservation and development of the environment and natural resources is a mandatory religious duty to which every Muslim should be committed.” It was published with support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and the Saudi Arabia government. 

Using language that we were not used to in the West, the document boldly called upon Muslim “rulers, administrative and municipal agencies and organizations” to protect the environment as a “common social duty.” Anticipating the concept of “sustainable development” later outlined in the seminal UN-sponsored 1987 Brundtland report, the “Islamic Principles” advocated for “a balanced and planned international system for the protection and conservation” of humans and their environment and “for the maintenance and perpetuation of a suitable, prosperous life for the present and future generations.” 

It was also one of the forerunners of the modern concept of “leakage” typically used in carbon markets and of “do no significant harm” used in sustainable finance. It stated that “developmental actions and projects undertaken in one country should not lead to or result in any kind of damage, harm or degradation in the natural environment of another country.”

If Saudi Arabia is currently undertaking plans to plant 10 billion trees, it is worth noting that as far back as 1983, those Saudi scholars advocated for the “revival, restoration, or recovery of lands” based on Qur’anic principles. And as encapsulated in a saying of Prophet Muhammad: “On Doomsday, if anyone has a palm shoot in hand, he should plant it.”

While we in Europe and North America were shaping many new environmental concepts, a set of Saudi Arabian scholars pioneered the Islamic Principles for the Conservation of the Natural Environment in 1983.

Rodrigo Tavares 

The world’s 1.8 billion Muslims may interpret the religious knowledge system differently, and likewise, they may not have a uniform interpretation of climate change. However, several Qur’anic verses and principles, such as Tawhid (unity of creation, including humans and nature), Mizan (maintaining the balance and proportion God has built into his creation), Khalifah (humans as stewards of God’s creation), and Maslahah (care for future generations), have been applied to address environmental concerns. 

Indeed, Muslims hold the belief that humanity bears the responsibility of stewardship, or khalifah, over the planet, understanding that divine accountability awaits them. The Qur’an contains around 200 verses addressing environmental matters. 

One of the pioneers of Islamic environmentalism was the Iranian philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr, who, in the 1960s, highlighted the links between environmental degradation and the spiritual crisis of the modern world. More recent contributions include the ones by Iraqi Islamic eco-theologian Mawil Izzi Dien, Saudi Arabia’s environmental planner Othman Llewellyn, Kurdish Islamic environmentalist Ibrahim Ozdemir and the Sri Lankan eco-theologian Fazlun Khalid. Building on scientific insights, many Islamic scholars point to human activities, including heavy industrial production, waste incineration, reliance on fossil fuel-based mobility, and deforestation, as the primary drivers of ongoing climate change.

But what efforts are Muslim-majority countries and communities making to steward the environment and address the climate emergency? Undoubtedly, there is still a considerable journey ahead. It is noteworthy that many of these countries rank low on the Yale Environmental Performance Index, despite being particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Ideals hum a sweet melody, but reality has its own offbeat rhythm. However, taking a long-term perspective, numerous oil-producing nations in the Gulf region have embraced decarbonization plans and strategic visions focused on environmental sustainability. For instance, Saudi Vision 2030 serves as a widely recognized national masterplan among the country’s citizens, signaling a commitment to environmental stewardship.

From the bottom-up, various Muslim organizations have embarked on reforestation, recycling, and energy efficiency initiatives. They have built low-carbon mosques and disseminated guidelines on conducting the Hajj and the Umrah in an environmentally-conscious manner. There are also non-profit organizations, such as the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences, whose goal is to encourage Muslims to live up to their responsibilities as stewards and work toward leaving a livable earth for future generations. Survey data further demonstrate that the majority of Muslims recognize climate change as a significant societal challenge.

The success of the global environmental agenda hinges on its diversification. This entails more than just formally inviting different people to participate; it is about having a sincere interest in the value they could add. 

Rodrigo Tavares is an invited full professor of sustainable finance at NOVA School of Business and Economics, founder and CEO of the Granito Group, former head of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Sao Paulo state government, nominated Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and the author of four books. 
 

 

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point of view

Pakistan fined again for slow ODI over-rate in New Zealand

Pakistan fined again for slow ODI over-rate in New Zealand
Updated 5 min 12 sec ago
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Pakistan fined again for slow ODI over-rate in New Zealand

Pakistan fined again for slow ODI over-rate in New Zealand
  • Pakistan players fined 5 percent of match fees for being one over short of target on Wednesday
  • Visiting team was two overs short, fined 10 percent after losing first ODI by 73 runs on Saturday

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Pakistan has been penalized for a slow over-rate against New Zealand in their second one-day international in Hamilton this week.

Match referee Jeff Crowe fined the Pakistan players 5 percent of their match fees after they were one over short of the target on Wednesday after the time allowances were taken into consideration. New Zealand won by 84 runs.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan “pleaded guilty to the offense and accepted the sanction, eliminating the need for a formal hearing,” the International Cricket Council said on Thursday.
It was the second consecutive match after which Pakistan was fined for a slow over-rate. 

The visiting team was two overs short of the target and fined 10 percent after losing the first ODI by 73 runs at Napier last Saturday.

The third and last ODI is at Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
 


Sports Council allows Olmo and Victor to play for Barca until end of season

Sports Council allows Olmo and Victor to play for Barca until end of season
Updated 11 min 57 sec ago
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Sports Council allows Olmo and Victor to play for Barca until end of season

Sports Council allows Olmo and Victor to play for Barca until end of season
  • LaLiga had lowered Barcelona’s wage cap on Wednesday
  • The CSD said the two players’ registrations remain valid as the RFEF acknowledged that “there is no federation resolution that agreed to the cancelation of the licenses“

BARCELONA: Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) on Thursday upheld an appeal filed by Barcelona players Dani Olmo and Pau Victor which will allow them to play for the club until the end of the season.
LaLiga had lowered Barcelona’s wage cap on Wednesday after it said the club’s recently revised accounts do not match the end-of-year figures from its previous auditor.
The previous accounts included proceeds from the sale of VIP seats in the renovated Camp Nou which allowed Barca to comply with LaLiga’s Financial Fair Play rules and extend the registration of Olmo and Victor.
LaLiga said Barca did not have the capacity to register the two players based on their accounts, but the CSD annulled the agreement between the Spanish top flight and the country’s football federation (RFEF).
The CSD said the two players’ registrations remain valid as the RFEF acknowledged that “there is no federation resolution that agreed to the cancelation of the licenses” and their decision not to grant a license is “null and void.”
“In any case, the professional careers of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor have been protected since January 8 by the urgent precautionary measure granted by the CSD, with the sole aim of avoiding irreparable harm until this procedure is resolved,” it said.
“In short, for reasons of incompetence, for not having followed the appropriate procedures established in the regulations, and for not being the body authorized to make decisions, the agreement of the Monitoring Committee of the RFEF-LaLiga Coordination Agreement must be considered null and void, and all effects derived from it invalidated.”
In January, the CSD had allowed Barcelona to provisionally register the pair, four days after Spanish football authorities rejected their requests.


Thousands of innovators gather in New Delhi for India’s largest startup event

Thousands of innovators gather in New Delhi for India’s largest startup event
Updated 15 min 34 sec ago
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Thousands of innovators gather in New Delhi for India’s largest startup event

Thousands of innovators gather in New Delhi for India’s largest startup event
  • With 160,000 startups, India is world’s third-largest startup ecosystem after US, China
  • Startup Mahakumbh 2025 focuses on AI, cybersecurity, health, energy, gaming, space tech

NEW DELHI: India’s largest startup event began in New Delhi on Thursday, bringing together thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders from across the country and abroad.

Dubbed Startup Mahakumbh, the expo is organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, and the Indian government’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

Around 3,000 startups are participating in the three-day event at Bharat Mandapam — the venue of the 2023 G20 summit — where they are presenting their innovations across sectors including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, health, biotechnology, energy, gaming, finance, mobility, defense, agri tech and space tech.

Jitin Prasada, the minister of state for commerce, industry, electronics and IT, opened the expo, saying that India had strong policies in place to support the development of the startup ecosystem.

“India is ready for the challenge. We have the talent, we have the skills. We have an agile government,” he told the participants.

“We’re going to showcase to the world what India is about. Together with the government, the stakeholders, and you above all in front of me, together we will collaborate, work for a better, stronger, creative, and more vibrant India.”

The number of companies participating in Startup Mahakumbh has doubled from its inaugural edition last year. It will also feature exhibitors and delegates from 50 countries, compared with about a dozen in 2024.

Sanjiv Singh, joint secretary at the DPIIT, told reporters: “At one end we will have a flying taxi made in India on display; at the other we have countries like Korea setting up a pavilion of 11 startups, and Nepal putting up the largest pavilion with one of its startups showcasing a two-stage rocket powered by sustainable hybrid propulsion rocket engines.

“The event will be a great opportunity to connect and collaborate.”

India has about 160,000 registered startups, according to DPIIT data. Among these, more than 100 have achieved unicorn status, which means they are valued at $1 billion or more.

With the rapid growth in the sector over the past few years — from 500 DPIIT-recognized startups in 2016 and fewer than 10 unicorns — India has emerged as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, after the US and China.

Rajesh Nambiar, president of the National Association of Software and Service Companies, said: “We also witnessed tech startup IPOs triple in 2024 compared to 2023, so that’s a lot of momentum. It’s not just about the rising momentum. It is compounding year on year, which gives us the confidence that this is going to be something which will be a huge differentiator for us as a nation.

“Last year we added the second highest number of unicorns globally, which is a huge testimony for India as a country. Also in 2024, the tech sector contributed a staggering $283 billion in terms of the broader contribution, and this accounts roughly for about 7.3 percent of GDP.”

The development of tech-based startups, Nambiar told the Startup Mahakumbh audience, will drive India’s technological sovereignty.

“For India to be truly emerging as a developed nation, we must achieve this tech sovereignty; a future where we are not just users of technology, but we are actually creators and builders of technology or transformative technology as we move forward,” he said.

“This also means that we are leading in patents, not just platforms; we would be shaping standards, not just following them. We are going to be owning IP (intellectual property) that drives global progress, and the deep tech ecosystem will be the fulcrum of this transformation.”


Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists

Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists
Updated 21 min 20 sec ago
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Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists

Report finds Israel’s war on Gaza ‘worst ever conflict’ for journalists
  • The Costs of War project at the Watson Institute for International Studies found that since Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza war has killed more journalists than all major US wars combined
  • Report warns that increasing threats against journalists not only endanger individuals but also undermine global news coverage, facilitate the creation of ‘news graveyards’

LONDON: A report released Tuesday by the Costs of War project at the Watson Institute for International Studies in the US has found that Israel’s war on Gaza is the “worst ever conflict” for journalists, with at least 208 Palestinian media workers killed since October 2023.

Titled “News Graveyards: How Dangers to War Reporters Endanger the World,” the study examines the toll of war on journalists, as well as broader trends in the US news industry that have weakened international coverage. It highlights how Gaza has seen an unprecedented death toll among journalists, far exceeding that of other conflicts in history.

“Attacks on journalists have exacerbated long term socio-economic shifts that have crippled the global news industry over decades and led to the de-prioritization of international news coverage and the closure of foreign news bureaus,” noted the report.

“Across the globe, the economics of the industry, the violence of war, and coordinated censorship campaigns threaten to turn an increasing number of conflict zones into news graveyards, with Gaza being the most extreme example.”

The Brown University-based nonpartisan research project, which analyzes the human, financial, and political costs of post-9/11 wars, found that “since Oct. 7, 2023, the war in Gaza has killed more journalists than the US Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan combined.”

The report also revealed that in 2024, a media worker was killed or murdered every three days worldwide — an increase from 2023’s rate of one every four days—attributed largely to the war in Gaza.

“Most reporters harmed or killed, as is the case in Gaza, are local journalists,” it added.

Late in March, Palestinian journalists Mohammad Mansour, a correspondent for Palestine Today, and Hossam Shabat, a journalist for Al-Jazeera Mubasher, became the latest media workers to be killed in Gaza in Israeli attacks. The Israeli military admitted to killing Shabat, accusing him of being “a terrorist” it had “eliminated.”

The report accuses Israel of mounting “a full-spectrum effort to undermine the free flow of information,” citing the “near-total destruction” of media infrastructure, internet blackouts, misinformation campaigns, and restrictions preventing local journalists from leaving Gaza while barring foreign reporters from entering.

It also underscores the vital role local journalists play in conflict zones, describing them as bearing witness to “the realities and horrors of wars.

“Journalists serve as the eyes and ears of the world, seeking out solid, verifiable information amid a vortex of violence and a welter of rumor, manipulation, misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda,” the report continued.

The study also references Syria’s civil war, where hundreds of journalists were killed by government forces and armed groups. The Syrian Network for Human Rights estimates that 700 journalists and media activists have been killed since the conflict began in 2011.

The Watson Institute report warns that increasing threats against journalists not only endanger individuals but also undermine global news coverage and the “worldwide information ecosystem.”

“The decreasing number of experienced foreign correspondents in conflict zones, due to long term shifts in the global news industry that have led to the de-prioritization of international news coverage and the closure of foreign news bureaus, has likewise crippled critical knowledge and helped facilitate the creation of news graveyards,” said the report.


Amnesty urges Syria to probe sectarian massacres as war crimes

Amnesty urges Syria to probe sectarian massacres as war crimes
Updated 22 min 27 sec ago
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Amnesty urges Syria to probe sectarian massacres as war crimes

Amnesty urges Syria to probe sectarian massacres as war crimes
  • Many from Assad’s Alawite minority have feared reprisals for his brutal rule
  • The massacres “must be investigated as war crimes,” Amnesty said in a statement

BEIRUT: Rights group Amnesty International on Thursday called on the Syrian Arab Republic's government to ensure accountability for sectarian massacres targeting the Alawite minority last month, saying they may constitute war crimes.
Several days of violence starting on March 6 saw the worst sectarian bloodshed since Islamist-led forces overthrew longtime president Bashar Assad, with massacres largely in the Alawite coastal heartland.
Many from Assad’s Alawite minority have feared reprisals for his brutal rule.
Amnesty said that “the Syrian government must ensure that the perpetrators of a wave of mass killings targeting Alawite civilians in coastal areas are held accountable.”
The massacres “must be investigated as war crimes,” it said in a statement.
Truth, justice and reparation are “crucial to ending cycles of atrocities,” it added.
The United Nations human rights office has said that “perpetrators raided houses, asking residents whether they were Alawite or Sunni before proceeding to either kill or spare them accordingly,” with men shot dead in front of their families.
Online footage, which AFP was unable to independently verify, showed men in military garb shooting people at close range.
Amnesty’s secretary-general, Agnes Callamard, said: “Once again, Syrian civilians have found themselves bearing the heaviest cost as parties to the conflict seek to settle scores.”
Interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, whose Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) led the offensive that toppled Assad in December, has vowed to prosecute those behind the “bloodshed of civilians” and has set up a fact-finding committee, which has yet to announce its results.
Amnesty said authorities must “ensure independent, effective investigations of these unlawful killings and other war crimes.”
The Syrian authorities have accused armed Assad supporters of sparking the violence by attacking the new security forces.
Callamard said evidence indicated that “government affiliated militias deliberately targeted” Alawite civilians “in gruesome reprisal attacks,” with people killed “in cold blood.”
“For two days, authorities failed to intervene to stop the killings,” she said.
The violence has sent more than 21,000 fleeing to neighboring Lebanon, the UN has said, with thousands more seeking refuge at a Russian air base on the Mediterranean coast.
Amnesty said the Syrian government must “take immediate steps to ensure that no person or group is targeted on the basis of their sect.”