Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs is set to host the International Conference on Islamic Ecotheology for the Future of the Earth (ICIEFE) in Jakarta on July 14–16.It will serve as the culminating event of its Peaceful Muharram campaign marking the Islamic New Year, bringing together government officials, academics from Indonesia and abroad, civil society actors, environmental organizations, and media professionals, according to the ministry’s Director General of Islamic Community Guidance, Abu Rokhmad.
“Youths from Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), universities, and environmental movements will also participate in the conference,” Rokhmad said in Jakarta on Friday.
He noted that the event aligns with one of the key missions (Asta Cita) of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, which emphasizes environmental sustainability and interfaith harmony.
In addition, the initiative reflects Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar’s commitment to promoting Islamic ecotheology — a theological approach that integrates Islamic teachings with environmental stewardship.
Rokhmad emphasized the urgency of the event, pointing to worsening global crises stemming from climate change, biodiversity loss, and rising pollution.
"The conference is expected to drive policy advocacy and inspire social action grounded in both scientific knowledge and religious values,” he said.
He cited the 2025 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which warned that global temperatures have already risen by 1.3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — dangerously close to breaching the 1.5°C cap outlined in the Paris Agreement.
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In Indonesia, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has reported that 63 percent of disaster-prone areas are experiencing ecological degradation, he added.
Given Indonesia’s status as the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, Rokhmad underlined the importance of embedding Islamic ecotheological principles in public policy and education to address pressing environmental issues.
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The ICIEFE is also envisioned as a continuation of the 2024 Istiqlal Declaration, a joint initiative launched by Minister Umar and the late Pope Francis.
The declaration underscores Indonesia’s national ideology, Pancasila, as a philosophical foundation for interfaith environmental cooperation.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s Director of Islamic Affairs, Arsad Hidayat, noted that the conference is expected to produce two key outputs: a draft manuscript on Islamic ecotheology and a policy brief to guide the development of environmentally conscious public policies.
