Bhupender Yadav, India's Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, highlighted the significant role of religions in changing behavioural patterns harmful to the environment, advocating for raising awareness in communities to enhance their understanding of the climate crisis and the necessity to mitigate its impacts, especially on vulnerable and marginalised communities.

This came during his visit to the Faith Pavilion at COP28, organised by the Muslim Council of Elders in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence in the UAE, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

During the visit, Yadav was introduced to the various initiatives and activities of the pavilion to raise awareness about the climate crisis.

Yadav commended the efforts of the Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in addressing various global challenges, notably climate change.

He emphasised that this pavilion provides a crucial opportunity to engage religious leaders in discussions on tackling climate issues, fostering cooperation and understanding among religious communities in their shared endeavour to protect the environment and its natural resources.

He affirmed that collective commitment is essential to work towards environmental conservation, as all religions call for collaborative action, unity, and cooperation to build a better and sustainable future for planet Earth.

The Faith Pavilion at COP28 aims to bring together religious leaders, scholars, youth, environmental experts, and indigenous peoples most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in one place. It hosts dialogue sessions and more than 300 speakers from various fields to unite leaders in adopting a unified stance on the climate crisis and calling policymakers and decision-makers for urgent action.