Highlights of the side-event 6*

*Report prepared by the side-event organizers

 

Strengthening Action for Nature and Environmental Governance: Approaches by Faith-based Organisations, Indigenous and Local Communities. 

 

Context

The Fifth Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law (Montevideo Programme V or the Programme) is a ten-year intergovernmental programme on promoting and implementing environmental rule of law, running from January 2020 to December 2029.

During the Meeting of National Focal Points for Montevideo Environmental Law Programme V, UNEP Faith for Earth hosted Side Event 6, a discussion to demonstrate “Action for Nature and Environmental Governance: Approaches by Faith-based Organisations, Indigenous and Local Communities”. It was an opportunity to demonstrate evidence-based arguments to support and strengthen a multi-stakeholder approach towards environmental governance – particularly the inclusion of faith leaders, faith-based organizations, and faith, traditional and indigenous communities - to governments and major groups and stakeholders present.

 

Theme

Access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters.

 

Objectives

The side-event aimed at demonstrating how faith-based engagement through effective public participation has contributed to better uptake of environmental laws and policies with an emphasis on:

 

• Exploring and promoting the influence of beliefs, values, culture, and traditional practices on environmental law, particularly in advancing the environmental rule of law;
• Exploring the role of faith actors in advancing environmental rule of law;
• Demonstrating the support that religious and indigenous leaders, youth movements, policymakers, and scientists require to work together to create harmonious environmental policies that capitalize on the power of values, ethics, and religion;
• Introducing a partnership with a university and researchers to amplify the nexus between traditional and religious beliefs, spirituality, and environmental governance within the African region; and
• Supporting accredited FBOs to engage in policy dialogue at the UN, highlighting the positive influential powers and perspectives of spiritual and moral responsibilities to environmental governance brought about by religions

 

Meeting of National Focal Points for Montevideo Environmental Law Programme

The webinar explored the influence of beliefs, values, culture, and traditional practices on environmental law, particularly in advancing the environmental rule of law. The Founder of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environment Sciences (IFEES), Sidi Fazlun Khaled, presented the impact of the Misali Islamic Environmental Ethics Project that involved environmental workshops with local fishermen to halt fishing using dynamite in Zanzibar to protect coral reefs and underwater ecosystems for the prosperity of livelihoods and ecosystem productivity. The workshops focused on a values-based approach referencing Islamic scripture and teachings to uplift a duty of care for the ecosystem.

Dr. Charles McNeil, Senior Advisor to the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative (IRI) demonstrated harmonious and effective collaboration between religious and indigenous leaders, policymakers, and scientists that capitalize on the power of values, ethics, and religion. The result of which has led to robust guidelines/action plans for the respect of traditional values, practices, and livelihoods while preserving rainforest ecology. In the same vein, Kabarak Law School launched a call for legal scholarly writing on faith and ecology, noting the under representation of African traditional beliefs and practices in advocating for the protection of local ecosystems. In doing so, Mr. Carson Kiburo presented the case of the Endorois Peoples in Kenya as evidence that African interreligious and traditional belief systems present an untapped opportunity to scale up nature protection with effective civic education and public participation in legislative processes.

The side-event speakers highlighted that belief systems, including faith, values, and ethics, are instrumental in enacting behavioural change that is invaluable in efforts to prevent, halt and reverse environmental issues. Engaging faith actors on climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution and waste present an untapped avenue to accelerate and amplify holistic solutions – and towards a new narrative - for sustainable development.

Leveraging their significant socio-political power, the participation of all concerned citizens is required to strengthen the policy-making space informed by timely and accurate environmental information an ethical and moral responsibility. As a conciliatory effect, legislation with effective public participation enables peacebuilding, sustainable use of land resources, conflict prevention and remediation. 

Although religions come from different belief backgrounds, all agree on the human spiritual and moral responsibility towards Earth. Studying the existing programmes and relationships within local communities (with faith-based organisations (FBOs), indigenous groups, etc) is imperative to effectively demonstrating the value of belief systems and environmental policy, especially the role of religious and faith actors in promoting environmental governance. 

FBOs present an opportunity to enrich and support decision-making processes informed by local and grassroots experiences, promoting a harmonious relationship between people, nature and the environment.  

UNEP Faith for Earth and its partners are strategically placed to offer support and assistance in the implementation of the Montevideo Programme V through it’s vast and diverse network comprising of faith leaders, faith-based organizations, and faith, traditional and indigenous communities.