• UNFCCC Climate Action Zone will recognise faith as the missing piece in climate action at 12 noon on Friday 1st December
  • The COP28 Faith Pavilion will bring interfaith cooperation to a global stage, to inspire ambitious goals and to call for concrete commitments on climate change.

Dubai:– Renowned spiritual leader Sadhguru will address the first-ever Faith Pavilion at COP28 on Friday 1st December, kicking off a programme of over 70 sessions on interfaith cooperation on climate action.

The internationally recognised visionary, head of the Isha Foundation and founder of the Save Soil movement will present his vision on the critical role of healthy, living soils in mitigating the devasting impacts of climate change.

Sadhguru has built up a huge international following – with over a billion views on YouTube and 11 million followers on Instagram – with his message of spirituality and climate action.

Sadhguru is the first of a variety of high-profile speakers in a daily 10am slot at the Pavilion, including High Commissioner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of The Art of Living Foundation, and World Evangelical Alliance General-Secretary Archbishop Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher.

At 12pm on Friday 1st December, the UNFCCC Climate Action Zone will host an event recognising faith as the missing piece in climate action, held in collaboration with the UNFCCC Executive Secretary.

Over 300 faith representatives and public figures are expected alongside 70+ leading faith-based organisations at the Faith Pavilion, a dedicated space for different religions, traditions, and perspectives to come together to achieve a better future for planet Earth and humanity.

Inclusive collaboration and dialogue  

Throughout the conference, the Faith Pavilion will be a pioneering space designed to be the focal point for fostering meaningful interfaith collaboration and engagement, with the goal of catalysing effective and ambitious climate action. It will create an opportunity for dialogue with religious and Indigenous representatives, scientists, young people, and political leaders to accelerate climate action.

The Pavilion will also house the Tree of Conscience – a tree collectively planted by 28 high-level faith leaders from over 19 faiths and denominations during the Global Faith Leaders Summit on climate change this past November in Abu Dhabi.

The Faith Pavilion will also host discussion groups, youth cafes, daily prayers and pastoral care for negotiators.

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To set up media interviews and access spokespeople please contact: FaithPavilion@greenhouse.agency.

About the COP28 Faith Pavilion 

The Faith Pavilion will be hosted by the Muslim Council of Elders in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and a coalition of faith partners including the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, the Episcopal Diocese of California, the Partnership on Religion and Development, Peace Department, and over 50 faith-based organisations. The Pavilion will host more than 65 sessions with religious figures, scientists, and political leaders, as well as encouraging intergenerational dialogue involving young faith leaders and indigenous peoples.

About the Muslim Council of Elders

The Muslim Council of Elders is an independent international organization that aims to promote peace within Muslim communities and between Muslim communities and non-Muslim communities. The Council - chaired by His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb - unites Muslim scholars, experts, and dignitaries internationally recognized for their wisdom, understanding of justice, independence, and moderation.

About UNEP Faith for Earth Initiative

The UN Environment Program's Faith for Earth Initiative promotes faith leadership, faith-based organizations and communities as custodians of far-reaching, value-based perspectives on environmental sustainability.

About the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development

The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development connects religion and ecology and galvanizes faith communities’ action and teaching on environmental sustainability.

About The Episcopal Diocese of California

The Episcopal Diocese of California, also known as the Episcopal Church in the Bay Area, serves a diverse community of faith encompassing the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

About the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD)

The International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) convenes governments, multilateral entities, academia and religious actors to amplify contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

About COP28

COP28 will be held at Expo City Dubai from 30 Nov. to 12 Dec. 2023. More than 70,000 participants – including heads of state, government officials, industry leaders and climate experts – will come to the UAE to help deliver a vital blueprint for action to safeguard the planet.

Facts on the scale and breadth of the faith movement active in communities globally 

  • 6.7 billion people (84% of the world’s population) have a faith, religion or values system
  • More than 1.5 million projects globally to address climate change are run by faith groups
  • Faith groups own and are responsible for more than 8% of the Earth’s habitable land
  • Faith groups own and are responsible for more than 5% of all commercial forests on the planet
  • More than 4 in 10 health services (40%) in some countries are operated by faith groups
  • Half of schools worldwide (50%) are owned or operated by faith groups- rising to 64% of schools in sub-Saharan Africa
  • 10% of the world’s financial institutions are faith-related, making faith institutions the world’s third largest investor.  Research shows that “faith-aligned” impact investment capital is valued at $5 trillion worldwide