JAKARTA — The global energy crisis has forced many parties to unite their minds and resources to use alternative energy instead of fossil fuels. This fuel is the main cause of the climate crisis in the world today. Dompet Dhuafa Volunteer, with its 18,779 volunteer members throughout Indonesia, collaborated with GreenFaith, the Institute for Environment and Disaster Management (LLHPB) ‘Aisyiyah, and EcoBhineka Muhammadiyah to take part in efforts to change the earth for the better.
On Youth Pledge Day, on Friday (28/10/2022), these four environmentally concerned communities held an Interfaith Community Peace Action: Encouraging Everyone’s Concern for the Issue of Climate Change and the World Energy Crisis in the Istiqlal Mosque and Banteng Square areas, Central Jakarta.
In this #Faiths4ClimateJustice movement, DD Volunteer and 3 (three) other institutions made efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels. It is also part of the world movement for climate justice.
The action was held in the Istiqlal Mosque area, Central Jakarta
This peaceful action was carried out in Jakarta, similar actions also took place in 277 points in Indonesia. As expected, mass-long march actions to these places of worship proceeded peacefully. At several other points, the volunteers participating in this action carried out tree planting, mural making, beach cleanup actions, discussions about alternative energy, and the younger generation’s demands for a sustainable future.
GM of the Strategic Alliance and Advocacy of Dompet Dhuafa Arif R.H said that the change in energy utilization is already very urgent. In addition to the government’s main role in the transformation process, it is also important to participate in various elements of society, one of which is the religious sector. The crucial role of community leaders, clerics, and religious activists in encouraging a fair, clean energy transformation process, and the use of alternative energy to reduce the risk of climate change on the issue of the energy crisis is very influential, including changing the patterns of life in society.
“The purpose of this effort is to encourage government policies to optimize the use of clean energy,” he said.
Simple things that people can do such as walking, cycling in religious activities or reducing the use of unused lights in places of worship to the construction of spaces of worship facilities that pay attention to environmental elements.
Hening Parlan, the Head of LLHPB Division of the Central Leadership ‘Aisyiyah said that the action of the Religious people is an expression of the ritual of obedience to protect the earth from damage. Serving as Director of Eco Bhinneka, he also revealed that preserving the planet is not a conservancy of one religion only but a conservatory of all religions.
“Right now, we’re all trying hard or emigrating to maintain a better environment. One of the expressions is to use religious values with the actions of the People of this religion,” he said.
There are three appeals made in this action. First, expect the government to encourage policies on renewable energy, accelerate the transformation process fairly and open up green jobs. Second, encourage economic institutions or financial institutions not to finance activities related to fossil-based dirty energy. Third, encourage all religious leaders to take an important role by holding environmental care movements based on their respective faiths.
The number of natural disasters that have occurred in various parts of the world, including in Indonesia, is a tangible form of the impact of the climate crisis, which has resulted in many casualties. Therefore, before the implementation of the World Conference on Climate Change (COP27) in Egypt and the G20 Summit in Bali in November this year, these four institutions, together with other religious people around the world, sounding Faith’s action for Climate Justice.
In Indonesia, this peaceful action activity was deliberately chosen to coincide with Youth Pledge Day’s momentum and Friday worship. So it is hoped that the spirit of unity of Youth Pledge Day can become the essence of the cooperation of this religious group in terms of inviting, encouraging, and educating the public about the use of alternative energy and reducing the risk of climate change, to achieve net-zero globally by 2050. (Dompet Dhuafa / Muthohar)