Jakarta (18/11) – PPIM Researcher, Iim Halimatusa’diyah, participated in an international seminar hosted by the Faculty of Biology, National University. The seminar, themed Ethics and Climate Change: Global Religious Perspectives, featured Dicky Sofjan as the moderator and included distinguished speakers such as Paul Martens from Baylor University, who presented on Climate Change, Christianity, and Ethical Challenges, and Dato Azizan Baharuddin from Malaya University, who discussed Al Mizan: Climate Change and Ethics. The event aimed to develop ethical perspectives rooted in religion to promote environmental sustainability amid the challenges of global climate change.
In her presentation, Iim highlighted the Green Islam Movement in Indonesia, addressing three key research questions:
- What are the characteristics and typologies of the Green Islam Movement in Indonesia?
- Does Indonesian society prioritize climate change issues?
- Why do some Green Islam Movements in Indonesia focus on climate change, while others address broader environmental concerns?
In her presentation at that seminar, Iim Halimatusa’diyah shared key insights into the Green Islam Movement in Indonesia. She revealed that out of 192 faith-based environmental movements in the country, 142 are categorized as Green Islam organizations, which fall into three typologies: Conservationist (6%), Mobilizer (18%), and Policy Campaigner (77%). These organizations are structurally affiliated with Indonesia’s two largest Islamic organizations, NU and Muhammadiyah.
‘’Most Green Islam activism focuses on policy campaigning rather than conservationist or mobilizer approaches’’, Iim explained.
Citing the survey Potret Muslim Ramah Lingkungan di Indonesia, Iim noted that while 79.45% of Indonesians are aware of climate change and understand its impacts, over 50% prioritize non-climate change issues over addressing climate change directly.
The findings from the survey prove that the Green Islam movement in Indonesia tends to focus on non-climate change issues, such as environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, pollution, and waste. Iim explained that this focus stems from the hierarchical diffusion of climate change issues from global to national and local levels, influenced by proximity. She also highlighted the dichotomy of the concept of bi’ah (environment) among religious communities and the Green Islam Movement as a key factor. According to the concept of bi’ah, environmental issues at the national or local level—such as pollution, waste, and flooding, etc
“In our survey, climate change ranks as the second most important environmental issue for Muslims in Indonesia. Waste management, however, is viewed as the top priority,” Iim shared.
Despite these challenges, Iim expressed optimism about the role of religion in shaping environmental ethics to address climate change. “Religious perspectives can significantly influence people’s attitudes and behaviors, encouraging sustainable practices and raising awareness of environmental issues,” she said.
In her concluding remarks, Iim emphasized that environmental and climate change issues are complex, so society needs to have a strong commitment to fostering environmental awareness and sustainability.
Firda Amalia