Environment and Social Development Sector and Pacific Region

THE WORLD BANK 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 USA Telephone: 202-473-1000 Fax: 202-477-6391 Web site: www.worldbank.org Email: [email protected]

Twenty years ago there was already great concern for the environment but almost no one gave any thought to the im- plicit (if not then explicit) environmental teachings of the world’s major . Since this time, the connection has become increasingly recognized, and now members of all eleven of the world’s major faiths, and dozens of traditions, have examined their scriptures and teachings and found reasons to become engaged in environmental management. This re- port outlines a broad range of examples of how over the last five years the World Bank has been able to provide support to those people whose spiritual beliefs lead them to environmental actions as part of the expression of their faith.

The interest in the links between the faiths and environmental management has grown dramatically among all the reli- gions, and some of the groups which were late to join in are now among the most vocal. Some groups and individuals still remain reluctant for various reasons—often personal rather than empirical. It is interesting that many who openly admit to having no faith at all see the enormous synergies which could emerge from solid partnerships between faith groups and development agencies, and can be the most passionate supporters.

There is a vast amount of untapped potential for environmentally-sound policies, actions and investments from within the faiths. As the World Bank, other agencies, and governments increasingly focus on communities as a major focus of development focus, so the potential for helping faith groups to explore the environmental elements in their scriptures and teachings and to encourage leaders to feel confident about disseminating and acting on these matters increases. It should be noted that the costs of much of the work described in the report are not so high because faith groups themselves bring a great deal of intellectual inputs and ideas, labor, authority—and enthusiasm—to the activities.

Although it must be admitted that it can be difficult to get some agencies and individuals to recognize and act on the potential for working with faith groups on environmental matters, the approaches described in this report are remarkably easily and enthusiastically received in many of the World Bank’s client countries by villagers and senior government of- ficials alike, who find the frequent reticence of westerners to discuss matters of faith hard to understand. It is hoped that this report will encourage people of faith to become more active in the environmental sphere, and de- FAITHS AND THE ENVIRONMENT velopment professionals to more actively engage with these dynamic faith groups, developing positive and constructive partnerships to further the environmental agenda. World Bank Support 2000–05

Cover.indd 1 06/21/2006 1:30:02 PM Faiths and the Environment

World Bank Support 2000–05 © Copyright 2006 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / THE WORLD BANK 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433

First printing June 2006 All rights reserved

The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/the World Bank or the governments they represent.

The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of the World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.

The material in this publication is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmitting portions or all of this work without permission may be a violation of applicable law. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/the World Bank encourages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission to reproduce portions of the work promptly. For permission to photocopy and reprint any part of this work, please send a request with complete information to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA, telephone 978-750-8400, fax 978-750-4470, www.copyright.com.

Cover image: by Tjalling Halbertsma, ARC. All images in text courtesy of: ARC, except where otherwise noted. Cover and text design: Jim Cantrell Contents

Contents

Foreword v Acknowledgments vi Acronyms vii

Faiths and the Environment — Engagement through World Bank Operations 1 Partnership with the Alliance of and Conservations (ARC) 3

East Asia Region 5 Cambodia 5 Thailand 8 Lao PDR 9 Mongolia 10 15 Indonesia 16 Muslim Communities 16 Christian Communities 19 Papua New Guinea 21 Timor-Leste 22

Latin America Region 23 Brazil 24 Guyana 25 Mexico 25

Africa Region 27 Zambia 30 South Africa 31 Ghana 32 Ethiopia 33 Kenya 33 Madagascar 34

iii iv

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 Events Appendices — Conclusion Support forInnovative Ideas Greening theBible Local LanguageDeclarations International Interfaith Investment Group (3iG) Appendix 8— Appendix 7— Appendix 6— Appendix 5— Appendix 4— Appendix 3— Appendix 2 Appendix 1

4 — —

1 V

arious Summary Documents Arising from World Bank-Sponsored Initiatives and 3 Kebun Raya Charter, Conference onReligion and Conservation Muslim groups (2005) Demands, Requirements andAspirationstoEnter Into Partnerships —Developed withtheAfrican London 2004 Criteria forengagingChristiangroups: Developed attheAfricanChristianLeaders’ meetingin Goroka Declaration onChristiansandtheEnvironment (Papua New Guinea, May 2003) Conservation” (Indonesia, June 2005) Recommendations —“Formulating theRole ofIslamic Ummat inEnvironmental andNature Indonesia Extract report on activitiesinpesantrens from aproject(Islamic supervision boarding schools)in (FiqhConservation Al-bi’ah)” (Indonesia, May 2004) Joint Statement totheworkshop on“Islamic oftheparticipants Teachings onEnvironmental ( (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, June 2005) Recommendations from theNorthern Buddhist Conference onEcology andDevelopment Kebun Raya Bogor, BogorBotanicalGarden, December 18,2002) 9

3

8

4 3 3 4 7 8 5

1 5 4

3 7 4 1 4 7

4 3

4 2

4 8 Foreword

Foreword

his report brings together for the first time the pioneering work supported by the World Bank around the globe to link faith-based initiatives with environmental advocacy through the “Faiths and Environment” program that began in 2000. From village-level community projects to presidential initiatives, these engagements with faith groups have uncovered the synergies between the principles of environmental Tmanagement and the values held by faith groups. The report follows the publication in 2003 of Faith in Con- servation as part of the “Directions in Development” series. This text advocated the benefits of engaging with faith groups, which has attracted the attention of a wide range of organizations and governments.

The Faiths and Environment program began with a pilot phase in the East Asia and Pacific- Region.Sup port from the Bank-Netherlands Partnership Program (BNPP) was used to facilitate, deepen, and raise the awareness and profile of religious arguments for forest and biodiversity protection and stewardship among the major faiths in selected countries. The emphasis was placed upon developing lessons learned in order to later mainstream engagement with the faiths on environmental issues into Bank work. The local projects supported were designed to show the capacity-building potential of faiths in these countries, and to be replicable or to promote deeper level engagement with the faiths. The pilot phase was followed by a three-year program to further operationalize the dialogue between the World Bank and the major faiths, with support from the World Bank President’s Contingency Fund and East Asia and Pacific regional funding. In the latter part of that project, at the president’s encouragement, the work was scaled up to include some activities in Latin America. A major source of funding for projects in Mongolia has been the Netherlands-Mongolia Trust Fund for Environmental Reform (NEMO).

Meanwhile, in addition to the successful activities in the East Asia region, new initiatives were launched in Africa with further support from BNPP and the Trust Fund for Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development (TFESSD). Moreover, components have been built into many regular World Bank operations to include engagement with faith groups; for example, as part of the environmental awareness raising activities in GEF/World Bank projects.

The World Bank is proud to support the innovative process of engaging the major faith groups in environmental conservation—an approach that has shown great promise to date. This review of World Bank funded programs is intended to reach out to a wide audience; both internally, to inform staff of the rewards of working through these dynamic partnerships, and also to bring the rich variety of projects documented here to the audience outside the World Bank.

Maria Teresa Serra James Warren Evans Director Director Environment and Social Development Department Environment Department East Asia and Pacific Region The World Bank The World Bank Washington D.C., USA Washington D.C., USA

 vi

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 Tony Whitten andBryonyMorgan, Editors. Scobey, Maria Teresa Serra, Andrew Steer, and especiallyourformerpresident, Jim Wolfensohn. Richard Regt, de JacominaMeyanathan,Dhevan Saha Marshall, Katherine MacKinnon, Kathy Lovei,Magda ValerieHickey,Hernandez,Leitmann, JoeRicardo Georgieva, Cackler,WarrenKristalina MarkEvans, Arief, Al- Moh. including years, the over supportive very been have who colleagues WorldBankour thank Wealso (LincolnUniversity,Kartikasari NZ). Ani and Africa), Water,South for (WorkingPreston Guy PDR), (Lao Ladwig Patrice and Development for Zoology), of Institute (KunmingHuihua Cui Shusen, Shu Ying, Ma PDR), Society-Lao servation Australia), Va Moeurn, Amanda Bradley, Long Sarou (Mlup Baitong, Cambodia), Joy Saypanya (Wildlife Con International-Indonesia), (Evangelical(Conservation DavidKima GraemeAlliance-PNG), Swincer (TearFund Victoria Finlay, Tara Lewis, Guido Verboom, Tjalling Halbertsma, Ch. Tsatsaa (ARC), Fachruddin Mangunjaya T Acknowledgments to thank our NGO partners who have provided the information and who have helped to make the Paola Robinson, make Palmer, Joanne Martin Triolo, partners: to NGO our helped include These have successful. who projects and information the provided have who partners NGO our thank wish to we product, final the for responsible remain we visibility.While greater given be should feel we that years few last Worldthe the overfor Bank written reports of compilation a essentially is report his - Acronyms

3iG International Interfaith Investment Group Acknowledgments and Acronyms AACC All Africa Council of Churches ABE Association of Buddhism for the Environment AIM Inter-Monastery Alliance (of the Benedictine ) AMEN Africa Muslim Environmental Network ARC Alliance of Religions and Conservation BNPP World Bank-Netherlands Partnership Program CCZ Zambia Council of Churches CDD Community Driven Development CFI Community Forestry International CI-I Conservation International—Indonesia CMBC Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation COREMAP II Coral Restoration and Management Project, Second Phase DMDC Diocese of Mongu Development Center EOC-DIDAC Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s Development Agency ETFOG East Timor Forestry Group FBO Faith-Based Organization FSC Forest Stewardship Council FSI Sustainable Forestry Initiative GEF-MSP Global Environment Facility—Medium Sized Project IDA International Development Association INFORM Indonesia Forests and Media Project LIPI Indonesian Institute of Sciences MCET Muslim Civic Education Trust NEMO Netherlands-Mongolia Trust Fund for Environmental Reform NGO Non-Governmental Organization PCF President’s Contingency Fund (World Bank) PNG Papua New Guinea PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper TFESSD Trust Fund for Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development UNDP United Nations Development Program UNESCO United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization WFDD World Faith Development Dialogue WfW Working for Water (South Africa) WWF World Wide Fund for Nature

vii

Faiths and the Environment — Engagement through World Bank Operations Introduction

ll of the World’s major faiths can argue for better environmental management. The past record of explicit care for the environment by faith communities can hardly be said to have been exemplary, but over the last 20 years all of these faiths have reexamined their teachings and beliefs in the light of the various Aglobal environmental crises. All of them have found that they should be more active in caring for the environment, not just because this would be a good thing to do, but because it is a natural expression of their faith. The faiths are thus natural allies of the environmental movement.

We increasingly recognize the role of civil society as a key network for environment and development programs. However—and with some notable exceptions—the potential of faith communities and faith-based organizations has not been fully explored. Yet in almost every country in the world, the faiths have a wider network on the ground than any other element of civil society. They also have centuries of experience, and in many places provide a substantial part of the educational, medical, and welfare structures and personnel in the country. They also often have larger followings than many political parties, across much wider social ranges. The faiths actually are the oldest, largest, most respected, and deepest-penetrating NGOs. They share with us an agenda of promoting wise environmental management, even if this has been somewhat lost during parts of their history.

There is strong potential to facilitate the involvement of the very powerful voice of these groups for environmental stewardship. Religious organizations and leaders can play a role in influencing peoples’ perspectives on biodiversity conservation in three ways, based upon and rooted in their own understanding of the relationship between humanity and the rest of nature:

• They can teach about the environment and natural systems upon which life depends; • They can provide active leadership in initiating practical environmental projects; and

 

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 xrsin n eald e prnrhp t be to partnerships created. new enabled and expression concrete given been thus has world secular the with inpartnership working the religions of notion The Expo. the and Government, Norwegian the and sponsorship of various groups, including UNDP, attention the attract to used approach the and the work of aspects enabled has and interest generate to continues publication The time. first the for together of the faiths’ core statements on conservation, brought policy. collection environmental a includes book The gions reli world major eleven of worldviews ecological the explore authors The faithful. own their for programs tive models of conservation approaches and to develop alterna provide to both organizations, ment-focused develop and environment- with work can religions events. At the heart of the book is a discussion of how of series three-day a at report the launched and ries vation as part of the “Directions in Development” se the WorldIn2003, FaithBankpublished Conser in signs ofgradualshiftsinapositive direction. slow,areis there policies but and programs, projects, govern and Bank’sthe on on impact dialogues the hence, ments; staff, Bank World faiths, the among in thinking shift significant a of requires engagement process This Bank. policy World the at documents of content the and projects investment of sustainability and sign de the improve to this, through and, stakeholder discussions in ticipate par to opportunity the leaders religious give to been has report this in the described initiatives pilot of objective key A • agement objectives. man environmental pursue to how on guidance ute in some way to conservation, and can provide each individual has a moral obligation to contrib They can seek to persuade their members that members their topersuade seek can They 1 and consider how these can help shape effective - - Faith inConservation. ------the ground, they can deliver—so long as they are part on that illustrating partners, as faiths of potential the of the original plan; and it has increased the profile of projects in areas and even countries that were not part of the stage. It has led to the creation of many spin-off The Bank’s innovative program has set it in the center groups. by secular and selves them faiths the both by tiatives, ini vironmental en in engage to potential faiths’ the of awareness increasein matic dra a been has three past years, there the Over have tight links, and in certain global discussions, for discussions, global certain in and havelinks, tight often issues thecommunity environmental and poverty at where level, together come concerns These issues. poverty on focuses WFDD while ronment, envi the on focuses It WFDD. of work the to tary complemen is document this in described work The sues, includingdialogueandadvocacy. is Goal Development Millennium on focus WFDD the of sharpening a and Washington,D.C. to move a for call plans but UK, the in based currently tion der, and health. WFDD is currently a small organiza gen education, HIV/AIDS, as areas such in notably experience, operational and recovery), cost as (such issues policy assessments, poverty country (PRSPs), cludes dialogue on Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers in This issues. poverty about agencies development and faith among dialogue advance to is WFDD the of aim primary The Canterbury. of Archbishop mer for the and president Bank the by co-chaired been has which (WFDD), Dialogue Development Faiths World the to Bank’scontribution World the nating coordi things, other among at, aimed is Ethics and The Development development. on Dialogue Values to faiths relating Bank the within initiative only the Of course, the work on environmental projects is not of theprocess andnotjustameanstoanend. - - - - A launchevent for Faith inConservation. ------

Tony Whitten example on the implications of global warming for held at Lambeth Palace in 1997 and attended by Mr. poverty strategies. The environmental work of Bud- Wolfensohn, then president of the World Bank. This dhists in Mongolia was one of the cases presented to engagement has continued through the World Faiths the WFDD Leaders’ Meeting in October 2002 which Development Dialogue, as described above. was later published in the Bank’s Mind, Heart and in the Fight Against Poverty. ARC is unique in working closely with the leadership and communities of all eleven of the world’s major Partnership with the Alliance of Religions faiths in the development of relevant approaches to and Conservations (ARC) environmental issues. ARC is the world’s only orga- nization that brings together environmentalists and A major partner in the World Bank’s work to date religious leaders and their communities to develop has been the Alliance of Religions and Conserva- practical, on-the-ground environmental projects. 2 Introduction tion (ARC), a UK-based NGO with exceptional Through the work funded by the World Bank, ARC convening ability. This organization was launched has supported local projects with a variety of partners in 1995, but had its beginnings in 1986, when the designed to show the capacity-building potential of then-international president of World Wide Fund faiths with religions as varied as Mongolian for Nature, HRH The Prince Philip, invited leaders Buddhism and Catholicism in East Timor. of five of the major faiths to a meeting with leading environmentalists. From this arose a network of faith This report illustrates the diversity and breadth of groups working on ecological and development issues. projects and dialogue supported under the program 3 By 1995, nine religions and hundreds of practical of the last five years, working in partnership both projects were involved, and ARC was launched as an with the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, and independent NGO, dedicated to assisting and enlarg- with other organizations. ing this work. It has a totally secular Board of Trustees and accepts money only from secular sources. The Notes World Bank was represented at ARC’s launch and has been engaged with the organization ever since. ARC 1. Baha’i, Buddhism, , Daoism, , , , , Shintoism, , and . initiated and organized the first formal engagement 2. www.arcworld.org. between the World Bank and the major religions, 3. This increased in 2000 to eleven.



East Asia Region

Cambodia he World Bank’s faith projects in Cambodia have focused on the Buddhist communities, working through local NGOs Mlup Baitong such as Mlup Baitong. The Conference on TBuddhism and Environment in 2004 resulted in the formal establishment of the Association of East Asia Buddhism for the Environment, as well as the Sangha Network, hence linking the Buddhist or- ganizations working on environmental projects in mainland SE Asia.

Mlup Baitong The World Bank has worked through its partner- ship with ARC to support the Cambodian NGO A tree ceremony — Part of Mlup Baitong’s wider educational and practical Mlup Baitong throughout the five years of the program. The tree will now be protected from being cut by loggers or villagers. program in East Asia. The project provided envi- ronmental education and training, initially to 14 pagodas in rural areas in Kampong Speu and Kampong Thom provinces. The program targeted not only the monks resi- dent in these pagodas, but also achars, , and villagers in the surrounding districts. In addition, these pagodas became promoters of sustainable development models for other neighboring pagodas and all villagers in the vicinity. The overall project cooper- ated closely with the Ministry of Environment, Department of Education, Provincial Environmental Department, National Park authorities, and local officials.

Training on Buddhism and the environment and the practical application of these skills was disseminated by monks and achars to villagers and visitors through lectures, workshops, and closed-circuit radio programs on Buddhist holy days. Some 55 work- shops for monks were held, including 450 village lectures given by the monks and two provincial network meetings for all participating monks. Written and visual training material for monastic, educational, community, and NGO use was produced based on the experience of Mlup Baitong.

 

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 reduce indoorairpollution. as well as percent, 50 to up consumption decrease firewood can which stoves, cooking management, improved and water boards, bulletin composting, was support provided for pagoda-based tree planting, practical and training Further media. other among continued videos, and programs communities radio environmental to through outreach and topics, programsrelevantwerevarietying of a on conducted train education Environmental pagodas. these near villages 90 than more to out reach to potential the had therefore project The province. Thom Kampong province, with a Mlup Baitong project coordinator in Thom Kampong in nuns 7 and monks prov 78 and Speuince, Kampong in nuns 33 and monks of 184 group a to expanded was program the targeted, Based on the experience with the 14 pagodas initially planting days. tree and ceremonies ordination seedling organized have monks The planted. been have trees 1,000 than more and schools, eight in established been also have bins compost and nurseries tree program, ronment envi school the of part As seedlings. of monitoring composting, germination, distribution, planting, and struction of nurseries, as well as con the collection and of seeds, repair the on delivered been has Training grounds, while others are donated to the community. pagoda on planted are seedlings these of some das; pago the in well-established now are Treenurseries Mlup Baitong Monks tending their seedlings at a pagoda based treeMonks tending based apagoda theirseedlingsat nursery. - - - - - within the Sangha (community of Buddhist monks Buddhist of (community Sangha the within The conference not only highlighted a new confidence present attheevent. , the Venerable Tep Vong of Wat Ounalom—were Buddhism’sCambodian Mohanikay of Patriarch the as leaders—such Buddhist Key bodies. government and agencies, development NGOs, with links ship partner strengthen to and contact, cross-border and national through monks the empower to were tong, The goals of the event, hosted by ARC and Mlup Bai tourism schemes. eco- and forests community as well as villages and pagodas in programs environmental existing visit to training tour that provided an opportunity for monks conference was the culmination of a 12-day study and The . in Buddhist the with conservation linking play monks that roles special the and countries their in protection environmental with discuss to NGOs Burma and Thailand, PDR, Lao Cambodia, from monks 120 than more together brought 2004 Penhin inPhnom held conference three-day This Conference onBuddhism andEnvironment Conference andEnvironment, onBuddhism PhnomPenh. - -

Tony Whitten ized following the conference, this organization aims

Tony Whitten Tony to identify and map Buddhist communities in Asia working to promote environmental conservation at the international, national, and grassroots levels, as well as providing guidelines for developing environ- mental projects and partners.

The project supported the establishment of the Sangha Network by funding a coordinator, a project manager (for Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand), a Cambo- dian project assistant, a website designer, and office space rented from Mlup Baitong. Support was also

Both monks and nuns attended the conference. provided for pagoda-based environmental and edu- cational training and natural resource management projects in Koh Kong, Kratie, Pailin, and Kampot and nuns), but also illustrated to those present the provinces; meetings and staff for the Association of level of capacity that exists among the community, Buddhism for the Environment (see below); produc- and the drive and commitment that the members tion of resource materials; and a website4 that covers have shown in relation to environmental issues. It activities in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand. The was a truly international event with monks from each work of the Sangha Network and the Association of country reflecting on their different experiences in

Buddhism for the Environment (below) has also been East Asia relation to campaigning and action on environmental publicized through distribution of leaflets. and development issues. Association of Buddhism for the Environment The Sangha Network (ABE) The conference delegates identified training as a key Discussions between Buddhist leaders and NGOs factor necessary to empower the monks and create present at the Phnom Penh conference also led to the capacity and confidence in pagodas and villages. This development of proposed partnerships and projects is something that the various Sanghas involved—as for practical, on-the-ground action in this area. It was well as ARC, Mlup Baitong, Spirit in Education proposed that the Association of Buddhism for the and other NGOs present—wish to develop through Environment (ABE) be established to assist with this a coordinated and active Sangha Network. Formal-

Preparatory meeting of the Sangha to discuss establishment of the Association of The Sangha Network’s website. Buddhism for the Environment.

 

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 forest more plants. ofmedicinal than500species supports that Pavana turned Samati aformerA monkhas at bananaplantation into amixed use Forestry Community as such NGOs and agencies government with partnerships form environmental to and run projects to monks for asanef structure fective to develop ABE helping is This Baitong. Mlup and team Network Sangha also the from available is guidance management and facilitation and program, WorldBankthe through funded programs training environment and management separate two completed have members board and The compound. nastic staff and rents office space in the Mlup Baitong and lay its own nowhas organization The ment. govern Cambodian the with registered now is and constituted officially was It ABE. the of patron ficial Krey,Bour of PatriarchRaja the Sanghathe now by monks introduced was organization The provinces. by 22 from attended was established, were statutes where ABEmeeting, official first The organization. this formulate to monks of groups core of meetings effort. ARC and the Sangha Network team facilitated inacommunity forestryA monkparticipates training video. - - - - or oe ecmasn 4 frss ayn i size in varying forests 47 encompassing zones four province, Nakon Ratchasima, and now largest spreads across inThailand’s isbased Initiative Khorat The Khorat The Initiative Thailand rights regarding monasticlands. monks participating in community forestry, and legal for guidelines legal establish to CFI workedwith also has World team Sangha Network The funding. Bank with ABE and the Sangha Network and using in part consultation in studies, case monastic existing monks using for video training forestry community a of CFI’sproduction is project such one of example An WildAid Cambodia. and Cambodia’sWildlife, Save (CFI), International drawn from all four zones. One forum was for monks participants 250 of average an with each forums, ect proj monthly three supported funding WorldBank agro-forestry, andforest andwatermanagement. irrigation, fertilizers, organic seedlings, planting and germinating on given is Adviceprojects. forestry nity commu for volunteers train to schools and villages in working people lay and monks trained by spread widely now is and network, monastic the through training and education with initially began project agement skills. Capacity building and training for the man forest on centers training and groups, heritage centers, tree nurseries, meeting places for forestry and health and education are lands monastic and pounds com their Within project. management community the of core the form now temples Sixteen Initiative. become the administrative focal points for the Khorat to were that centers monastic major the and present, villages of number the areas, these in lands monastic of extent the identify to used was survey initial An effective and widespread invillagecommunities. particularly be to initiative this enabled has Sangha the project,to given authority respectand traditional the and this for bedrock the is path) Buddhist the inherent in the Dhamma (the Buddha’s teachings and message conservation The hectares. 550 to 16 from - - - - improved water management and requested training. The scheme seeks in the near future to expand to incorporate villages outside of the existing zone who want to register.

Project funding also helped to consolidate the existing partnership work between Buddhist monks and the Royal Thai Forestry Training Centre in Khorat and with the government administrative authority in this area. Both of these bodies supported the training of villagers with technical advice on plant identification and nursery management, and took an active part in Wild native seeds collected from forests around Bungpra Temple were germinated in the nursery or given to other temples and community forests. the surveying of the forest areas. to discuss the application of Buddhist teaching in Coordination of faith and environment programs relation to the practical projects. The second forum in Thailand was for monks and community members to assess the project work together, request help, or discuss project A full-time Thai coordinator was employed to map logistics. The third was for Forest Network members, environmental activities by Thai monks in partner- including members of the Thai Forestry Department. ship with the Network of Engaged Buddhists and In addition to these central forums, regular small Spirit in Education Movement. The aim was to build workshops were run by a satellite group of small a database of monks involved in environmental activi- East Asia monasteries throughout the four zones. They oper- ties that can be accessed by Buddhists, NGOs, and lo- ated at a village level and were integral to the overall cal governments. The Thai coordinator also produced project, focusing on issues such as forest conservation, regular news updates to feed into the Thai section of the establishment of tree nurseries, and conservation the Sangha Network website. In addition, the Sangha and health education. Materials were also produced network coordinator was invited by the UNESCO and disseminated for use in environmental education Asia office in Bangkok to help extend their network in temples, schools, and field visits. A color chart and develop appropriate material for their cultural was produced as a teaching aid, requiring multiple diversity program among Buddhist communities. print runs to meet demand. Video training materials, presentation papers for workshops, and photographic Lao PDR material for temple and school displays were also In partnership with Wildlife Conservation Society produced. A five-day training course for monks and Lao and a local NGO, Buddhism for Development community partners was provided by the organiza- Laos, a color book entitled Boun Lue Bap has been tion “Spirit in Education.” produced for pagodas, Buddhist colleges, and chil- dren. The book examines the practice of capturing, A nursery training school already existed at the cen- selling, and releasing wildlife to gain Buddhist merit. tral nursery of Wat Huay Bong, which has ten forests The book’s foreword was written by Achanh Sali in its area of responsibility. Three monks from every Khunthasilo, a much-respected and well-known Bud- forest registered with the forestry scheme were sent on dhist leader who frequently refers to the book in his regular visits to the school to enable them to dissemi- radio broadcasts. Six-thousand copies were printed nate knowledge to their communities. Many of the with additional support from CanadaFund, and two seedlings were germinated from existing stock or were workshops were held with monks to discuss the use donated by the local Forestry Department. Some of of these books. In 2005, Buddhism for Development the districts that border the project’s forests witnessed applied successfully to the World Bank Lao PDR the benefits of increased fodder, forest produce, and

 1 0

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 variety of books in the on the on language Mongolian the in books of variety a of publication the supported has Bank The World teachings: Buddha’sthe with line in also is but Mongolians, of for the next generation—is not only in the self-interest inheritance an providing sustainably—thus resources natural use and conserve to Willingness 1990s. the in freedoms ofreligious revival the with flourished have places these with associated in Mongolia, domination communist of decades seven After century. 12th the since protected been have reserves nature Buddhist the of Some safeguarded. been ally tem and within which the environment has tradition sys country’sarea the protected of part are which of many Mongolia, in sites sacred 600 about are There Sacred Sites Mongolia resources onapagodaanditssurrounding lands. natural of management sustainable of impact the on LueBoun Bap the shoes of others and do not harm them. the shoesofothersanddonot harm into yourself Put sufferings. overcome to strive and creaturesdesire living All others. of being develop a caring spirit that gives priority to the well- to needs humanity Thus, selfish. and self-centered are who those by others for disrespect by caused is earth the on deterioration and destruction All … itit, n rn plt project pilot a ran and districts, Vientianefour in courses training agricultural “natural” organic ran schools, primary 12 to monks by run lessons education ronmental envi weekly introduced project The NGO. development Lao a PADETC, with partnership in Laos Development for Buddhism an environmental program run by supported also haveProject funds copies ofBounLue Bap. additional 1,000 reprint to and manual activity environmental an SmallGrants Program produceto - - - golia was now made visible through the translation the through visible made now was golia celebrated because a sacred map of the whole of Mon and by the president of the World Bank, the book was Mongolia of president) (now minister prime the by cred Sites of Mongolia. At its public launch, attended book, which has a limited English commentary, is Sa second The names. these within encoded often were insights environmental religiousand as sites, those of lia can reveal a traditional understanding of the nature examines how the names of different places in Mongo nity. and Land the of Legends called is book first The the headquarters of the Mongolian monastic commu monasteries in Mongolia through Gandan monastery, Buddhist the all to distributed been have books The environmental protection for the whole of Mongolia. on sacred handbooks effect, in They are, significance. cultural and environmental of sites 300 over detail them of Two environment. the and faiths of topic Tavsgan , andnatural open the last sacred site inUlaanbaatar. protection tosuchareas thangovernment legislation. actual effective more a cases, many in provide, and traditionally demarcate sacred zones up to ten kilometers in radius stelae of such presence The areas. the to protection spiritual provide which stelae, stone of blessing and erection the by significance ronmental envi of theritual areas sacred traditional six supported also of re-dedication project sites sacred The vulnerability ofdistinctareas ofMongolia. or fragility the of understandings traditional against laid be to hotspots ecological and plans development enables It scriptures). (religious sutras traditional of - - - - -

Tony Whitten PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED ON FAITHS AND ENVIRONMENT IN MONGOLIA

Naga the Land Protector: Offerings and Methods of Traditional Conservation Sutras for the of Sacred Sites Rituals for Herders East Asia

Traditional Building Manual Legends of the Land Sutras for the Worship of Sacred Sites 2

Sacred Sites of Mongolia Water Sutras

11 12

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05

Ulaanbaatar, to produce a leaflet that describes the describes that leaflet a produce to Ulaanbaatar, University and with Gandan Monastery in the capital Buddhist the with collaborated project the herders, nomadic the among project the of socialization the of part As patterns. use land nomadic and loss, sity biodiver melt, permafrost between interactions the emy of Sciences is a targeted research project studying by the Geo-Ecology Institute of the Mongolian Acad A five-year GEF medium-size project (MSP) executed food, andeven ofgoldandsilver. of offerings by followed spirits, the by blessings for non-living worlds. Sutras are used for chanting to ask and living of interdependence in profound the on based are they created; were rituals the for sutras century,16th the the in Mongolia into Buddhism of father, and the earth with a mother. With the coming a with it identifying by sky the respecting and fying dei on Mongolian of traditions ancient the from inherited been have ceremonies religious traditional The Mongolia. in conservation ditional tra of part is land and water for of spirits the honoring rituals religious designed specially Performing Lake Khuvsgul. Jon Gelhaus UNESCO World Heritage Site. a as nominated formally been has park The 1992. in park national a as designated were tundra mountain ing area of Siberian taiga forest, steppe grassland, and surround large a and lake the country,the the of in north Located World. the in polluted least the of one is and Mongolia’slake, is largest Khuvsgul Lake Lake AttentionConservation: Khuvsgul to Water - - - - - Netherlands-Mongolia and Fund Contingency President’sthe the of support with 2005 June in lian capital of Ulaanbaatar Mongo the in held was conference remarkable A Development and Ecology on Conference Buddhist Northern conservation. relatedMongoliantraditions to on information vides pro leaflet the this, to addition In ceremonies. the conduct community local the in monks the aid to ing of religious for the water —is included Therituals. the chant for sutra—used Tibetan-script sary preparations, and the purpose and significance of neces the worship, for procedures the deities, water greater cooperation between these different groups, different these between cooperation greater initiate to how on focused Discussions conservation. to approaches modern and traditional and national, inter and nongovernmental,local governmentaland aimed to bridge the gap between religious and conference secular, the organizations, of mix diverse a such natural conservation and development. By assembling in teachings Buddhist and monasteries of role future and contemporary, historic, the debate to portunity op unique a provided conference the so, doing In cooperation. future for possibilities and partnerships existing discuss to bodies government and nizations as well as Buddhist delegates from international orga provinces Mongolian all from invited were ment develop activities. Monks and environ ment in monks Buddhist Mongolian of involvement strengthen the to was environmentalists, brought and monks 200 together which ence, the confer of aim The through the World Bank. (NEMO) Reform mental Environ for Fund Trust - - Delegates at theconferenceDelegates at - - - 5

Northern Buddhist Conference. Buddhist Northern ------which often share with monastic, the same objectives government, and but rarely the same NGO participa- methods of opera- tion to discuss tion. The president the potential for of Mongolia took a monks to be part very active role in the of the official cur- The environmental Buddhist calendar. conference. A series riculum in relation of recommendations, to Buddhism and environmental education. A joint drafted by a commit- workshop for students of environmental studies at the tee of delegates on National University of Mongolia and students of the the evening of the His Excellency Nambar Enkhbayar, President Buddhist Zanabazar University was held to discuss of Mongolia and International President of third day of the con- ARC, delivering the opening address at the possible activities that could be undertaken together. ference, was adopted Conference. In addition, an operational handbook will be pub- by the conference lished to facilitate contacts between Buddhist groups during its final session (Appendix 1). and development agencies, and an attractive three- year Buddhist calendar showing important dates and environmental connections was recently distributed. East Asia

Environmental science students exchange ideas with students from the Buddhist Zanabazar University.

NEMO funds are being used for following up some of the recommendations through ARC. For example, an association of northern Buddhists is being created to meet the information and advocacy needs of mon- asteries and monks. Monasteries will be linked among themselves and with NGOs and other entities working in the environmental and development fields. There will be study tours for representatives from monas- teries, NGOs, government, and tour companies to One of a series of posters: “The source of long life and everlasting happiness is to understand the harmony between the biological and physical creations and share information and ideas concerning the manage- to care for them properly.” ment of sacred sites. A workshop and training course will be held in cooperation with WWF Mongolia

13 1 4

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 planned, whichisexpected to attractmanyvisitors. is Shakyamuni Buddha of statue major a hill the of top On temple. astrology new a it above with Sum, small, but frequently visited temple complex of Geser Ulaanbaatar,the Tasganthe is hill the of Hill.mouth Ovoo the At in space sacred and natural open last Zanabazar Buddhist University. The second hill is the the with together Monastery, Gandan Mongolia: of monastery influential most and largest the is top On residences. monks’ and shops, Buddhist worship, of a place with shamanic a temples, and monasteries of variety filled is One hills. adjacent two of consists area The development. urban by threatened still but governmentthe by area protected a as recognizedare that which Ulaanbaatar Sum, Geser and of Monastery Gandan includes city urbanBuddhist onan capital is the in work landscape the of focus The district. inwinterUlaanbaatar —The roofs surrounded monastery ofGandan by ager this spreading in awareness amongothersegmentsofsociety. role active an play to the permitting thus communities, monastic to provided tion and conservation management training are being the with Buddhist approach to ecology. links Environmental educa and awareness public increased for need highlighted the address to designed is Project, Improvement Services Urban Bank/IDA World the support to NEMO by funded Initiative, Protection Landscape Urban Sacred The 2004. Monitor mental Environ MongoliaWorld Bank’sthe recent of most subject the were areas urban in issues Environmental Sacred Urban LandscapeProtection Initiative - - and the area of the two hills. An environmental audit compounds the for plan management environmental the Project, an create to assisted being Landscape are communities monastic Urban Sacred the Under Sum. Geser Gandan Monastery.Gandan conservation traditional of practice the and standing under the in monks the educate to out carried be cur rently practiced in is Mongolia. A training program will and been has it as conservation, traditional of practice the understand to visitors international and national and communities local materials both help will The practice. environmental traditional ad to these to link and issues materials environmental urban dress educational of production and development support also will project The project). the outside (procured panels or solar stoves ficient ef energy as such devices, friendly environmentally installing in given be will assistance and buildings, Sum Geser and Gandan the for undertaken be will - - - -

Tony Whitten in relation to modern and urban challenges and how least some of the endemic species. Environmental to raise awareness in the communities they serve, improvements in Lake Dianchi and its watershed are making the monks conscious of their pioneering role a major national priority. in this. This will be done through general training for the complete monastic community related to the A four-year GEF-MSP, executed by the Kunming In- educational and exhibition materials, and through a stitute of Zoology, aims to restore and manage habitats more intense course for selected groups of monks, for around the lake in order to secure the conservation of a deeper understanding of the material. the remaining endemic species of Lake Dianchi and its immediate tributaries. This is being achieved by China providing suitable breeding habitat, comprehensively surveying the biological environment of the lake and The Dianchi basin in Yunnan Province, China, is a its immediate tributaries, establishing a program to “hotspot” of freshwater biodiversity, with 24 indig- monitor lake quality improvements (using endemic enous fish species, at least 11 of which are endemic, species as biological indicators), and improving pub- and many endemic mollusk species. These are found lic awareness of the lake region’s unique biological in the lake itself and also in adjacent springs, often environment. associated with Buddhist temples. Declining water quality, loss of natural habitats, competition for food and living space, competition from introduced spe- cies, and possibly introduced diseases and parasites have combined to threaten the indigenous fauna and flora, resulting in the apparent extinction of at East Asia

Kunming Institute of Zoology Institute Kunming Front cover of the Buddhism and Environment book produced by the Lake Dianchi GEF project.

During implementation, the project has developed good links with the monks at the various temples, where springs represent essentially the only sites for some of the endemic species. Of major concern is that some Buddhist adherents are releasing fish to receive Several species of endemic fish are known only from the Buddhist temples surround- spiritual merit (see section on Lao PDR), yet in some ing Lake Dianchi, such as this one at Black Dragon Spring. recent cases the fish have been predatory trout which

Educational display for Buddhist communities around Lake Dianchi.

15 16

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 2001 at Sungaiat 2001 Penuh, major the of headquarters the donesia was a workshop hosted by WWF-Indonesia in The first activity to link Islam and conservation in In andDevelopmentgrated Conservation Project Inte Park National Kerinci-Seblat GEF/IDA religion, humanity, andnature. between correlation positive a as teachings religious and conservation of linking the saw who munities, ties were enthusiastically received by the Islamic com activi these general, In (CI-I). ternational-Indonesia In Conservation and LIPI including organizations, partner of variety a through been has Muslim communities Indonesian with work Bank’s World The M with Muslim andChristiangroups. projects of variety a supported has Bank World the faiths, multiple with engagement this to addition In discussed. actions and ideas important many the on the Kebun Raya (AppendixCharter 2), an agreement ous NGOs. The conference resulted in the creation of groups, religious scholars, researchers and academia, and vari Hindu and Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, from representatives and leaders including attended, at a local level. Participants from various backgrounds networks religious with work already whom of many bodies, government/academic and NGOs with tion brought celebration together religious organizations involved in conserva The Raya). (Kebun Gardens sian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in the Bogor Botanic Indone the by hosted environment the on activity religious of celebration 2002 the through example for communities, religious different several volved in has Indonesia in groups faith with Engagement Indonesia Buddhist Association ofChina. the to project the on seminars and talks give to staff project by Beijing to visit a include Dianchi Lake at program awareness public successful very already the for distribution at the temples. Actions to add value to Buddhism-specific publication a producingissue, the is project this serious To address populations. fish indigenous to damage for reputation bad very a have uslim C ommunities

------biodiversity in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The objec The Kalimantan. and Sumatra in biodiversity ing the critical, and potentially terminal, loss of forest concern makers decision key and public general the among concern and interest of upwelling an creating donesia (CI-I), aimed to improve forest protection by International-Inexecuted FORM), by Conservation (IN and Media Forests Indonesia GEF-MSP The Indonesia Forests andMedia (INFORM) the conceptsofhima,harim,hisba,andmuhtasib. under law Islamic by supported and were with consistent restraints and actions agreed the that project the under Agreements Conservation Village signed had that villages those show to was workshop the of achievement major The women’sorganizations. and students, leaders, formal leaders, religious together brought It Project. Development and Conservation Integrated Park National Kerinci-Seblat GEF/IDA to advocate forest conservation to local community, local to conservation forest month advocate to fasting during Java West in show” “road a was activities project the of One schools. Islamic of network their in teachings conservation of promoting intention the with project the through targeted was leaders, Islamic audience, non-conventional A A workshop heldwithIslamic leadersthrough theINFORM project. social andenvironmental consequences. its and Indonesia in issue loss forest the of awareness and monitor policy development; and increase public influence to order in issues loss forest emerging on debate public to contribute agents, communication and information responsible as journalists of role the of critical forest loss issues in Indonesia by enhancing coverage media increase to were project the of tives - - - -

Conservation International — Indonesia public, and Islamic schools. In addition, a workshop Day in June 2005, and was accompanied by reviews was organized for 31 key Islamic leaders from vari- of the book by Islamic scholars and a discussion of ous parts of Indonesia with wide networks of Islamic the contents. The launching was attended by more schools (pesantrens) to allow them to participate in than 250 participants from Indonesian universities, a discussion about Islamic law on environment. This the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Environ- workshop was held in collaboration with the Centre ment, and members of district-level government for Community Empowerment and Education, and from several parts of Indonesia. The World Bank focused on the discussion and development of teach- country director for Indonesia spoke at the event. ings on environmental care (Fiqh Al-Bi’ah) from three Five-thousand copies of the book were published in main Islamic scriptures (the Qu’ran, Hadith and the Indonesian in mid-2005, of which 3,000 were sold Salaf, or Yellow Book. In opening the workshop, a commercially at a reduced price and the remaining representative of the Centre emphasized the pressing copies were distributed for free to schools, religious need to find new ideas and approaches that involved organizations, and other important stakeholders such religious groups in dealing with the increasing envi- as Islamic boarding schools (pesantrens), environ- ronmental problems in Indonesia. The challenge was mental studies programs at state universities, NGOs, put forward to link Islamic teaching on the impor- members of parliament, the Department of Forestry, tance of nature conservation with daily decision mak- and others. Books were also distributed through a ing on the use and management of natural resources. national workshop on Islamic Ummat Role in Con- A joint statement with recommendations for action servation and Environment, and a local workshop on was issued at the end of this workshop (Appendix 3). Designing Conservation Awareness Through Da’wah,

at Bau-Bau, Sulawesi. East Asia Islamic leaders were also included in the discussions held with the aim of ensuring that this new awareness Partnering with translated into action. Local level discussions were Pesantrens held with a variety of stakeholders, and took place in Pesantrens (Muslim Sumatra, Java (Jakarta) and Kalimantan. A statement residential skills-based from Islamic leaders urging the government and pub- boarding schools and lic to act upon the deforestation issue was published

colleges) have been — Indonesia International Conservation in Republika, Radar Bogor, Media Indonesia, and identified as poten- Sinar Harapan newspaper. tially having a key role in the creation Konservasi Alam Dalam of a religious envi- Islam ronmental network This Indonesian language for Indonesia, and in book entitled Nature Con- changing the attitudes A pesantren student plants a seedling. servation Through Islam of people toward re- was produced by Conser- source use and nature conservation. There is a need vation International-In- for environmental NGOs to work hand in hand with donesia (CI-I). It provides pesantrens to campaign for a long-term goal. The in-depth information on project supervision report (Appendix 4) identified traditional Islamic wisdom potential opportunities and challenges for working and teachings concern- with them, along with the strengths and weaknesses ing nature conservation. of these institutions. The book was launched Traditional Islamic teachings on conservation. in conjunction with the In 2005, CI-I administered a small grants program Indonesian Environment for six pesantrens in West Java to conduct forest and

17 18

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 levels of stakeholders, such as governmental institu governmental as such stakeholders, of levels all for forum discussion a hosted event the CI-I, by Organized Indonesia. of parts different from scholars pesantren of 2004 in (above) project INFORM the for workshop the up followed 2005 June in (LIPI) Science of Institute Indonesian the at gathering This Conservation Nature and Environmental in Ummat Islamic Workshop— National games basedonecologyandconservation. and lessons in participated biodiversity,and of tance impor the and conservation nature to related issues boarding schools. Students also learned about general respective their to return their on trees the for caring and planting on lead the take to students these allow nical topics related to planting and care of the trees, to covered training tech The pesantrens. selected the of each from students four or three including students, school boardingIslamic senior 39 for course training a conducted CI-I activities, reforestation the to Prior trees were planted. 3,000 nearly total, in activity; reforestation the for land their of hectare one approximately dedicate to plants. Each of the participating pesantrens was asked other the for shelter provide to chosen were species timber fast-growing and schools, the to value nomic eco long-term provide to included were trees fruit species, particular these of conservation improve to Therefore, income. sourceof rare plants were chosen cluding useful in species that could also provide an additional while objectives, conservation biodiversity were selected to meet reforestation needs, in line with ing the local climate and topography. The tree species to determine the trees they wanted to plant, consider planning participatory in school each involved CI-I munity members. com surrounding and teachers, students, at targeted areasimportant near their buildings. The activity was in reforestationefforts in pesantrens the involving by environment school Islamic the in conservation ture na and biodiversity forest of awareness promote to was program field-based this of objective The period. biodiversity conservation activities over a three-month omltn te oe of Role the Formulating ------pants were impressed with his approach and Islamic and approach his with impressed were pants partici the all and workshop, the attended also estry For of Minister The Indonesia. for director Bank country World the by delivered was address keynote The attended. also Cianjur and Sukabumi, Bogor, from project reforestation the of grantees pesantren six the from Representatives Java. West and Jakarta in pesantrens 14 of al-bi’ah) leaders (fiqh eco-Islamic including workshop, the attended invitees 100 the of Eighty teachings. Muslim into ideas conservation conservation efforts and to discuss how to incorporate policies environmental to community Islamic the linking formulate for to sought meeting the holders, stake religious and governmental together bringing IslamicIndonesia),Universities,Ulama ByLIPI. and of Department (Majelis Scholars Islamic of Council the Education), the and Forestry, of Department the Environment, of Ministry the (including tions sn te aeil dvlpd y II te local course training the short practical a CI-I, provided workshop by developed materials the Using with Islamic teachingthrough da’wah methods.” society of resuscitation the for strategy a “Compiling Conservation Project to carry out a workshop entitled Forest Lambusango GEF-MSP the and II), REMAP Reef Rehabilitation and Management Project II (CO Coral Wakatobi,the and Buton of government trict dis the with worked CI-I life. everyday in servation Qu’ranthe fromcon nature promote knowledgeto Hadith and and verses using da’wah; around based be could campaign environmental The conservation. to approach holistic a environment; their protect to lamic religious teachings on the obligations of humans Is introducing by areas protected these surrounding communities local in activities conservation promote to wished CI-I degradation. environmental of forms illegal logging, destructive fishing practices, and other by threatened be been to continue have and damaged severely Park National Wakatobi of reefs coral the and Reserve Nature Lambusango of forests The Awareness Strategies through Islam (Da’wah) Workshop in Bau-Bau, Sulawesi— pendix 5. workshop’sApin summarizedarerecommendations understanding of conservation and environment. The Conservation Conservation ------for participants. The meeting was attended by 40 Churches. Through this desk, environmental infor- participants, including mosque imams from different mation and education resources are disseminated; for districts, representatives from the local government example, the “Advent and Ecology” material highlights conservation agency, the authorities for Wakatobi Christian teachings and recommends practical action National Park, and other relevant government agen- on a range of environmental topics. One-thousand cies. Participants were enthusiastic about the work- copies were distributed through the Communion shop and were able to refer to and discuss Islamic of Churches to targeted groups such as the heads of conservation messages at the end of the discussion. 16 theological colleges, Christian publishing houses The participants recommended that religious mes- concerned with Sunday school material, six selected sages should be part of a broader conservation effort, Christian radio stations, religious correspondents of including income alternatives and economic develop- the major newspapers, and heads of all the main Prot- ment activities such as those incorporated in the CO- estant denominations throughout Indonesia. REMAP program. This workshop will be followed up through the environmental awareness component of The Batak and Toraja Churches the GEF-MSP. The Protestant Batak Church (Huria Kristen Batak Protestan) of North Sumatra has 960 pastors serving The first trial preachings of da’wah were conducted on 2,954 congregations amounting to 3 million mem- field visits by CI-I and an eco-Islamic leader to two bers. The Toraja Church of the Tana Toraja region of villages in Buton and Wakatobi, reaching around 375 south Sulawesi has 502 pastors serving 820 congrega- people. The response to the da’wah was very positive, tions with a membership of 400,000. Using World

with participants seeming receptive to the conserva- East Asia Bank funding, ARC supported the incorporation of tion messages, particularly concerning the dangers of Christian environmental stewardship and responsi- using bombs and potassium for fishing. bility into these Churches’ sermons, preaching, and general worship. Awareness-raising for environmental Christian Communities issues has been integrated into traditional village and Work with the Christian communities in Indonesia clan events and festivals; the churches have held train- has been carried out in cooperation with the Indone- ing courses and seminars on forestry and water issues, sian Communion of Churches, through pilot initia- and have established both centralized tree nurseries tives with two indigenous Protestant churches—the and small-scale domestic tree nurseries for income Batak Church of North Sumatra and the Toraja generation. Both churches have held public commu- Church in south Sulawesi.

Indonesian Communion of Churches The Indonesian Communion of Churches played a lead role in the celebration of religious activity on the environment hosted by Indonesian Institute of Sci- ences (LIPI) in 2002 and has convened a number of other meetings. It has also provided a venue for the distribution of material on Christian and conservation. For example, literature adapted from ARC’s publication, A Handbook in Theology and Ecology, was translated for distribution at the Annual Meeting of the 76 members of the Communion in 2002, an event which also resulted in the formation One of the oldest Batak Churches, on Samosir Island, Lake Toba. In the background are the remnants of a pine forest, the rest have been cut or burnt to create grazing of a permanent Environment Desk for the Protestant areas for livestock.

19 2 0

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 Deforestation andsoilerosion intheTana Toraja region. graz livestock for vegetation of burning intentional the as addressed—such be to needed practices ment and lakes for their Although survival. village manage poor and rivers, forests, are of resources the on dependent churches highly bythese served areas The environmental benefitsthatcouldbeachieved. faith, and to help them understand the economic and their through purpose and direction project the give to congregations, their of confidence the rebuild to needed churches Therefore, the programs. ronmental envi of purpose the to as mistrust of level certain a in resulting population, local the for experiences tive nega to led had area the in NGOs or agencies ment biblical teachings. Programs run previously by govern through stewardship environmental Christian of ing understand increase to also but communities, the of and agricultural issues directly affecting the livelihood forestry of only not awareness raise to churches the of heads the through and with directly worked ARC program onselectedplantingsites. nity planting days as well as continuing their ongoing ------ogeain t hl te udrtn wy they why understand them help to congregations their to straight approach—going bottom-up their was asset strongest Their management. resource ral also raised their profile as active stakeholders in natu and university lecturers into the process. The churches They officials, government inclusive. local experts, be forestry brought to had project this that edged acknowl both churches of leaders and pastors The both for concern churches whenthedialoguebegan. major a was resources forest to access of lack and deforestation Large-scale water sources. and food basic to access village limited have erosion and landslides subsequent supply,and water also played a decisive role. Extensive logging, reduced concessions logging managed poorly as such factors ownership—external and access land traditional over disputes or building, for stones river of removal ing, ed eeto, ad rprto, n cr o seed of care and preparation, land selection, seed nurseries—including tree establishing on course ing train a knowledge, and skills practical develop To munities identified. com the that problems environmental the on based projects practical and courses training for developed also were proposals of variety A leadership. clan cal lo of authority the and schools, , through issues environmental to relatingvalues gious reli and traditional reawakening of ways explored meeting The representatives. university and officials, government leaders, traditional local representatives, a workshop conservation attended by community faith conducted group) umbrella environmental local (a WALDA with partnership in Church The Toraja Activities bythe Toraja Church commit ment ofchurch communities. the through resources, limited with even achieved, be can what of Churches of Communion Indonesianthe of members other for models become have they small-scale, currently are Torajaprograms and Batak the Although agencies. outside for access clan affiliations in a manner that would be difficult to and politics internal the understood also church The how they could practically benefit from its outcomes. and Christians as project this in participate should ------lings—was held by the Toraja Church at the Sa’dan Church in June 2004. As a result, some participants from the local area now have tree nurseries as part of their income-generating activities. In 2004, they were able to grow about 3 million seedlings for sale. These are mostly sold to other districts government in South Sulawesi, who then give the seedlings for free to rural people as part of their reforestation programs. Another element of the program has been training in animal husbandry and, in particular, the rearing of pigs and buffalo. The animals are reared and cared Joint replanting work on a Toraja site with volunteer help from Church staff, villag- for by the group so that the offspring can be shared ers, police and military personnel. in the community. The animal waste is also used to produce an organic fertilizer that is distributed for seedlings for free distribution to four selected planting home gardening plots. sites. The tree planting days tied in with other events to make them notable days for the congregations. The Toraja Church has used a range of approaches to raise awareness among its congregations, for example Within the church community, ecological issues al- placing Environment Day in the church calendar. ready form regular sermon themes, and the church’s The church developed sermon notes for this event, General Office has developed awareness-raising work- and bible study materials for discussion in the home shops. The Batak Protestant Churches derive much East Asia groups. Local cultural events have also provided a inspiration from traditional Indonesian cultural main venue to discuss conservation issues, and a dis- connections with the natural world to produce an cussion was facilitated by the Tallulolona Foundation intimate link between theology and creation. The tree on economic activities and environmental sustain- planting occasions were supported by a series of semi- ability. Community work has been led by the Toraja nars on a scientific and theological review of forest Church and its Ladies Fellowship to collect rubbish conservation with panelists from the Batak Church, in Rantepao and Makale towns each month, involv- university lecturers, local government officials, and ing local school children in the task. environmental NGOs. The seminars were intended to respond to the issues in the community; for ex- Activities by the Batak Church ample, in Tigaras they addressed the viral attack on carp in Lake Toba that has had a devastating effect on The HKBP Batak Church (North Sumatra) appointed the income of the small-scale floating-net fish farm- an environmental officer to be responsible directly to ers. To support this work, there were special Sunday the secretary general of the church in Tarutung, north- on ecological themes followed by symbolic ern Sumatra. The officer’s responsibilities included tree planting. the development of an environmental consciousness within the church by focusing on issues with which Papua New Guinea the church can positively engage. For example, deforestation and soil erosion are two key issues of There have been two parts to the World Bank-sup- concern for the church. The environmental officer’s ported Faiths and Environment work in Papua New task is to examine the capacity of the church to form Guinea. The first was assistance with the construction partnerships with NGOs and government agencies, of a center for theological involvement in forest con- and its potential to engage in reforestation projects. servation, adjacent to a nature reserve in the Eastern The church’s Community Development Division has Highlands province, and the second was the develop- established a tree nursery at its headquarters complex ment of theological literature covering conservation in Tarutung, and has produced 12,000 mixed-species issues. The latter began with a meeting of Christian

21 22

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 was to improve community awareness of forestissues improveawarenessof to community was Timor East Forestry Group the (ETFOG). The main with objective partnership in Dili) of bishop the to staffed by Timorese Catholics and directly responsible and run organization CARITAS(an Diliof Director The Timor Verde (Green Timor) project isrun by the Timor-Leste the Pacific. and Africa in prepared being publications similar for minister of environment. This book is now the model Guinea; the latter attended the launch along with the coverback archbishopPapuabyCatholic of the New the on endorsement an and PNG of general ernor motivators. The handbook has a foreword by the community gov and sectors, technical various the connected with “practitioners” local educators, leaders, church for foundation accessible easily and useful a Neo-Melanesian(Tok ItPisin)as edition. designed is a by followed be will and English in produced been has handbook The political. and cultural, economic, ecological, issues: practical relevant the and biblical message the both communicates mate and The considers rial Alliance. Evangelical the by compiled was which Environment, the for Caring Christians a handbook on theology and the environment, entitled of production the funded Missions) for WorldCouncil the and Australia TearFund with Bank (together World the workshop, this to follow-up a As siasm amongsomeoftheparticipants. enthu life-changing, even major, created and of attending many those for time first the for ardship stew based environmental biblically of concept the troduced in meeting The (Appendix 6). Guinea New Papua in ment environ the for care promote to churches the by of commitment declaration a led to which Goroka 2003, in in leaders - - - - advice. on theenvironment andalsogives practical This explainsthebiblical handbook message - - forest fires. ment and use, including the causes and prevention of manage agroforest and forest in skills build to and the education andawareness raising campaign. childrenSchool Kutualau at villagewithasignoncaring for theenvironment, of part 2. 1. Notes Dili andLiquicadistricts. the throughout people) (10,000 of households audience 2,500 estimated an reached and season, dry the during weeks consecutive five covered talk-show radio The issues. environmental on NGOs interviewed were and church, the government, from leaders national where station, radio local and TV the with environmental campaigns using films, and talk-shows included the project by forest Outreach occur. when often fires season dry the of beginning the with church coincide and to timed 2005, June in began communities villages the for workshops education Environmental 2004. in courses training in covered material for reference written providing participants, project to distributed and language in Indonesian the produced were establishment, nursery tree techniques and conservation soil on manuals, training communities. two Two-hundredthe to two of copies distributed and future,” our for important very is it as together, environment our protect “Let’s message conservation the with produced were T-shirts dred provide a resource for information centers. One-hun distributed to the two participating communities and the Tetunin were protection These mental language. environ forestand brochureon two-page a of copies 600 of production the included supported Activities See www.buddhistecology.org www.sanghanetwork.org - - -

Ani Kartikasari Latin America Region

onsistent with the request of the World Bank’s president, the Faiths and En- vironment Program moved outside the East Asia region. Funds were used to support a range of Benedictine communities in Latin America, all of whom are members of the Paris-based Inter-Monastery Alliance (AIM) that links CBenedictines worldwide, following the recommendations of the director of AIM and the advice of Heads of Benedictine Congregations. In June 2004, ARC staff members were invited to address the annual gathering of AIM in Brugge to highlight the World Bank’s work.

The Benedictine interna- tional network is strong and has a clear adminis- trative and authoritative structure that makes the Benedictines positive part- ners for environmental activities. More than this,

the Benedictines have a Latin America natural commitment to environmental steward- ship through the Rule of St. Benedict, their 6th century founder. At the most grass-roots level, Benedictine communi- ties can be very effective The Benedictine monastery at Serra Clara in Brazil, aims to plant a variety of native tree species. by not only putting natural resource management activities into practice, but also in building genuine partnerships with communities and relevant authorities in their local areas. The Benedictine com- mitment to the people and land around them is unquestionable and once a monastery is established, evidence suggests it will be there for generations regardless of political upheaval or natural disasters.

23 2 4

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 cies from the threatened Atlantic Forest. The near The Forest. Atlantic threatened the from cies spe using restoration forest supported Bento, project Sao this of Monastery the by owned lands On Sao Bento, Vinhedo engineers. agro-forestry by overseen all were projects community.The the of sion of free labor from the Benedictines and members the field projects were co-financed through the provi vocation.their All into naturally falls community the of benefit the for sustainable resources natural the of so management creation, of stewardship the to priority for the poor in their work and a commitment a have Benedictines authority.All and structure nity working with the monastic communities of is their clear commu strengths the of One implementation. the on advised and plans project the up drew who was advised by an agro-forestry or hydraulic engineer, community Each management. agro- water and restoration, forestry, forest on mainly focused in Brazil monasteries five with directly working Projects Brazil been allocatedtoadaptitfortheAfricancontext. in English, Spanish, and Portuguese; funding also has suit local requirements. The handbook will to be printed adapted be easily can or issues specific with deal to photocopied be also can body.Sections secular or faith any by used be could that form a in are sources re energy,water waste, and pollution, air addressing from a Benedictine perspective and the main chapters are chapters introductory The communities. income low- urban and com rural at auditing targeted resources, for munity publication detailed a written have community.associates dictine lay and Monastic Bene the and ARC between relationships previous on building Erie, Lake at Centre Force Earth the at community Benedictine the of experience the using produced is being latter The beyond. and Latin America in communities Benedictine by used widely be could that kit audit and handbook environmental Brazil in and Guyana; and (2) the production of a Benedictine communities monastic with (1) work aspects: direct two complementary had project This ------n poeto ae. udn ws sd oad soil toward used was Funding area. protection a in crops. This included the planting of 2,000 native trees vegetable and fruit, medicinal, of cultivation organic This project supported both forest restoration and the Serra Clara,Itajuba engineer.fees ofanagro-forestry fences, grubbing the area, fertilizer, plants, and for the ect funds were used for soil sampling, construction of flora. Proj forest local the of range wide a represents which group, diversity the of establishment the for the former group is to create a favorable environment of goal “diversity”byThe trees.complemented trees, in” “filling of lines planting involved restoration of method The land. grazing as use previous its to due means, such as in bird feces, and the soil is compacted natural by arrive to seeds most for lands monastery the from far too are Forest Atlantic of remnants est als, and the fee for the agro-forestry engineer.als, andthefeeforagro-forestry effects of the sun, organic pest controldrying materi providingment, fromprotectthe plants to structures area. Project funds were used for purchasing plants, equip this of recovery environmental promote also community to grow and vegetables,organic fruit and surrounding and monastery the enable to structured areawas open the of planting area.The the in system hydraulic existing the maintaining as well as ability, sustain ecological greater a with term long and mid the in forest the provide will This plants. young the of establishment promote to species nurse also and trees, palm and wood fruit, medicinal, of seedlings requiredareaforest1,000 approximately the of ment enrich The production. agro-forestry for used was land remaining The forest. riparian the of restoration including planting, appropriate through it extending and monastery’sland, the of half occupies that bank river a by bordered is which area, rainforest existing the conserving on focused Branco Rio at work The Rio Branco, Acre engineer.forestry planting, purchase of plants, and the fee for the agro- for land the of preparation control, erosion analyses, ------Academia Santa Getrudes, Olinda Guyana The Benedictine monastery in Bartica received a grant that was primarily used for project work at the sec- ondary school where some of the monks teach. The funds were used to initiate an eco-club, with twice- weekly activities for the participants, such as birding, tree identification, ecological studies of a forest area, and tree growth monitoring. By 2005, the club had over 100 members, who have introduced their activi- ties to their peers and the local community through forums and science fairs.

Mexico Working at the tree nursery, Olinda. The GEF-MSP “Sacred Orchids of Chiapas: Cultural This Benedictine community and associated school and in Conservation” is currently are situated between the sea and the Mata Atlantica under preparation by the environmental NGO PRO- rainforest. The project was able to exterminate the NATURA-Chiapas, with support from ARC. The wood-worm that badly damaged forest in this area, project focuses on managing species under substantial permitting the soil and plants in this area to recover. pressure from harvesting for use in traditional cel- Due to decay, the forested area had been abandoned ebrations and religious practices. The high symbolic and was used by local people as a rubbish tip. The value of these species offers an important opportunity monastery, with the help of students and science to involve religious and traditional indigenous social teachers from the local school, worked under the structures in the development of conservation strate- instruction of an agro-forestry engineer to clear the gies and creates incentives for protecting the forest land, destroy the infestations, and prepared 64 beds habitats of these imperiled species. for organic vegetables, medicinal plants and seedlings. The school also initiated an eco-club, using the proj- ect as part of their curriculum activity. PRONATURA – Chiapas PRONATURA

Santa Cruz, Juiz de Fora Latin America This monastery, located close to the city of Juiz de Fora, has its own forest, which is regarded as a “green lung” for the area. There are several water wells, but only one pipe for distribution. In a region where ac- cess to water is scarce, the monastery provides water for its own use and also free access to clean water to the local community. Reductions in the volume of water At the altar of Huitepec. available prompted an exploration for new, environ- mentally friendly, water sources. The project funding The use of flora species or non-timber products covered the cost of a water survey, tanks, distribution found in natural forests for religious and traditional pipes, and the fee for a hydraulic engineer. ritual purposes is a widespread practice in Mexico

25 26

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 to the conservation of the wild plant populations and strategic becomes groups religious and traditional of sacred plants to the various cultures, the participation of importance the Given biodiversity. and practices religious between the relation explores project The celebrations. during precincts Week Holy and funeral, wedding, decorate to churches from demand the to responds and StatesUnited the in found is market the of part large a sale; for rainforests montane tropical in wild of ties quanti large Furthermore, copal. as such resins and hay,to addition moss, in cycads, and orchids, palms, bromeliads, are rituals Christian and indigenous in species used widely most the particular, in Chiapas of regions Zoque and Mayan the and Mesoamerica In Church). Catholic the and culture Mayan tween be mix (the churches traditional and Christian by rituals and ceremonies in plants various of use the addresses calendar. project ritual The the on depends demand and sites, sacred and altars of decoration the to relatedIt generally world. is the of parts other and bromeliadsGathering from theforest. xate ( Chamaedora spp.) are collected from the from collected are spp.) - -

PRONATURA – Chiapas Girl withcycad leaves. rituals, whichare already demandedinternationally. local in used not species the for markets sustainable ture, and also with ARC in the promotion of fair and cul and traditions preserve to groups religious local component is building partnerships and alliances with ticipating local and indigenous communities. A third par empowering on focus would second The ment. manage sustainable their for practices and strategies promoting and species selected of uses cultural and thestatus analyzing involves first The components. biodiversity. The project approach significant includes globally three main this contain that forests natural - - -

PRONATURA – Chiapas Africa Region

n 2004, the Africa Region, together with ARC, commenced a major program to involve faith communities on environment- and development-related issues and projects using grants from BNPP and TFESSD. Throughout Africa, the churches and mosques provide networks that reach to almost every village. These networks Ihave often proved to be one of the most enduring of social structures despite warfare, natural disasters and social collapse. Fully 45 percent of Africa’s population is Christian, and a further 40 percent is Muslim. Traditionally these networks have been afforded little attention by those concerned with the environment, development, or social action other than as convenient “service deliverers.”

The main objective of the program is to develop systematic approaches and structures to enable faith communities in Africa (Christian and Muslim) to develop conservation activities relevant to sustainable development and thereby to enter into partnership with secular bodies. The initial stages of project work involved the creation of criteria for en- gagement between the faiths and bilateral and multilateral organizations. These criteria provide the basis for international discussions between faiths and secular bodies, and they also provide the basis for internal discussions within faiths, within faith traditions and where appropriate be- tween faiths. In collabora- tion with Norway, these criteria are being used to build a common policy for partnerships between national governments, international bodies, and Africa the faiths. A meeting to develop this will be held in November 2006.

The first major -activ ity in this project was a three-day workshop—the Delegates at the African Christian Leaders gathering in London.

27 28

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 (in association with the World Bank and ARC) that ARC) and WorldBank the with association (in Government Norwegian the by hosted be to 2006 in Norway in meeting a Gathering, the with starts It for the torical future.positions partnerships into new donors. The Process is designed to move from the his to run counter to the model of community favored by seen are hierarchy,but and authority religious upon local forms of community, which are frequently based traditional of rejection implicit an by exacerbated is largely excluded from decision-making processes. This been have faiths the and developed, adequately been never has potential full issues—the development on although governments and faiths have already worked The Worlds of Difference Process is needed because— celebrates diversity. it instead, view; world one create to intended not is It face. we issues developmental and environmental the to responses valid be will that models practical initiate and explore will participants time, that ing is expected that this will take two to three years. Dur It funded. and facilitated be can donors secular and beyond) and Africa (in faiths between partnerships which by framework harmonized a develop to ARC UNDP,Bank,World and the nowcommitted with working to hasitself Norway of Government The Worldsthe through Difference reinforced of Process. be will Africa of leaders Muslim and Christian the with engagements initial these by made progress The meetings. reflected in the papers produced at the end of the two that stressed partnerships of equals need to be developed. This meetings was These Zambia. in meeting More Muslim leaders were consulted during a second (AMEN). Network Environment Muslim Africa the in early 2005, which resulted in a request to establish Kenya in leaders Muslim African East with meeting holda to was activity second The attention. media way, under already international attracted efforts and the of celebration a as acted also meeting the Phillip, Prince HRH and II Elizabeth Queen HM by ported Sup together. work to plan action an out mapped and collaboration for opportunities the discussed ers lead donor and NGO, Christian, Here, 2004. late in London Gathering—in Leaders Christian African - - - - and a format for enabling joint programs and projects will take three years to reach a common set of criteria process this that anticipated is It bring. partners the respect for the different experiences and resources that that partnerships are equal, with full appreciation and the expectations of the different parties, and to ensure such as the need to establish a shared vision that meets based, be can partnerships which upon criteria mon com identifying for basis the form will meetings ous wereprevithat the 8) developedat (Appendixand 7 criteria Muslim and Christian The world. veloping de the of part expanding but normal a partnerships faith/secular make will that issues these from arising nership, but will also begin to develop a methodology part such any to central are that issues religious and projects worldwide, it will address the political, social, existing upon Drawing partnerships. long-term for frameworks realistic create to opportunity the offers at the meeting in Norway in 2006. The aim of the of aim The 2006. in Norway in meeting the at Environment launched formally be Muslim likely will (AMEN) Africa Network formed newly The Africa Muslim Environment Network events atthenationallevel. fosters thepartnerships these in Participation Rwanda. and eroon, CDD, FBOs were specifically invited in Chad, Cam on events learning distance national the In Senegal. in Tanzania, and in the training of trainers’ courses in Junethe CDD in on training participated 2005 have representatives Organization Faith-Based date, To documented and disseminated as part of this program. expertise. The efforts in at least three countries will be and personnel as well as dialogues, such for vehicles appropriate create to having of route the take may this context, country the on Based programs. CDD Worldfrom Bank-financed organizations faith-based able partnerships to develop, and financing to flow to en and illustrate to order in programs (CDD) ment ments of countries with Community Driven Develop govern national with dialogues up open to worked also has Region The operations. WorldBank regular from support through also and organizations, based faith- to targeted explicitly grants the from funding Pilot projects in Africa are being developed both with to bedeveloped more easily. ------network is to link Muslim groups and organizations protected. It is the first such study ever undertaken in East/Central Africa, and to coordinate activities on on this issue with the churches in Africa. It shows that environmental and development issues between these churches have for some time made management and groups, most of which are currently not in touch with conservation decisions at different levels, and in some each other. The network also aims to be the main link instances the decisions have had far-reaching implica- for contact between the diverse Muslim communities tions. Environmental issues are treated seriously, as and organizations and secular bodies, initially in East indicated by the many cases of collaborations that the and Central Africa. AMEN will receive funding to various churches have entered into with professional research current environmental and development organizations and research bodies. programs by Muslim groups in each country and create a database. The network is already organizing All the respondents saw ecological sustainability as training workshops for Muslim leaders from its mem- a commission by to the church. They see the ber organizations, and will create other educational management of development in a manner that safe- products and run local practical ecological and devel- guards the environment as “co-working with God” opment projects. The network is developing a website through continuing with the work of creation. A high in appropriate local languages, which will be used to proportion of the respondents had projects related to disseminate a weekly sermon for preachers. It is also the management of the environment, with forestry organizing micro-finance through waqf (a religious and reforestation identified as one of the key areas. endowment in Islam) and zakat (the welfare tax paid The critical elements needed to allow the church annually by all adult Muslims as one of the Five Pillars to start or widen environmental and other projects of Islam) in association with ARC and will produce an were identified as education, training, and capacity environmental audit kit for mosques throughout the building. The main challenges regarding resources in continent; teaching modules of Islam and environ- developing projects were more or less the same for all ment for Madrassa colleges and a program of coastal the respondents; lack of equipment, technical skills forest protection along Islamic guidelines. or funds, and in some cases political instability. A full report is now ready and ARC is meeting AACC All Africa Council of Churches in June to explore and identify how to make better use of the results of the survey. AACC has also asked ARC has joined with the All Africa Council of ARC to collaborate in an environmental and devel- Churches to conduct a research project on the levels opment education course at one of AACC’s training of current activity connected to the environment, and centers, where priests from all over Africa receive their areas where churches in Africa would like to develop training. programs. AACC has drawn up a picture of the range of existing work being undertaken across Africa by the Benedictines in Africa churches, with specific focus on ten selected countries for in-depth profiling. Through this, AACC and ARC The World Bank has facilitated links between ARC will identify potential partnerships and personnel and the Inter-Monastery Alliance (AIM), which who can develop links with appropriate sections of links Benedictines around the world. This was done the World Bank, as well as other appropriate govern- through pilot project work with Benedictines in ment and donor programs. Latin America, as well as during the production of the Africa Environmental Handbook and Audit Kit for use in The study describes the results of a survey of 76 re- Latin America. ARC had already worked with Bene- sponding churches and councils in Africa. The study dictine communities in Africa, particularly in Zambia has underlined the awareness of and the mechanisms where projects are currently under way, and there is a used by churches in Africa in ensuring that alongside possibility of new projects with the Benedictines in development, the environment is also cared for and Tanzania.

29 3 0

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 monastery alsoprovidesmonastery employment andtraining. the Katibunga, In work. their through teaching their spreading communities, local on influence major a have monks The life. spiritual and economic local of situated. In this part of Africa, they become the center is monastery the where land the to tied strongly are monasteries Benedictine previously, mentioned As ciaries of this project are 2,500 families in 12 villages. benefi The forestry. land and management, farming, animal sustainable upon based is and Monastery dictine Bene Katibunga with been has ect proj World Bank-funded first The Zambia an EastAfricanversion. for use in West Africa. Plans are also afoot to produce examples. The materials will be translated into French be adapted to the African context and include African likely will which Kit, Audit and Handbook mental Environ the present to taken was opportunity the but network, Project Benedictine the of expansion allow to primarily was invitation The 2006. January seven Westfromin Senegal in held countries African at monasteries the of ARC superiors of meeting AIM, the tended with collaboration its Following delegates theAfrican at Christian Leaders inLondon. gathering Père DirectorInter-Monastery Alliance, oftheBenedictine Martin, addressing - - - Katibunga Benedictine Monastery.Katibunga Benedictine - - partments, the Zambia the partments, volving government de collaborative project in a on (DMDC) Centre Development Mongu of sup Diocese the also ported has ARC to improve theirdiets. gardens vegetable own their for products and plants givenare they and kind, in and cash in both paid are monastery the by employed people Moreover,izer. farming methods and use of organic material as fertil way. Training sustainable courses a have been set up for in villagers on and families their for enough duce pro to confidence the and capacity the them by giving villagers local uses empowered has which farming, organic Project, Horticulture Katibunga The Mongu Development Centre. ofthe at Malengqa,Field Day held organizedat thestart Briefing Dioceseby the of another site. moveyearsto few a after and crops cultivate in orderto trees cut households where cultivation, shifting by caused has desertification address to project DMDC enabled the example, For cattle. for stock feed supplementary as straw rice of processing and grass, vertivar using control erosion management, resource culture, training courses in community-based natural including reforestation, bee-keeping, sustainable agri activities, of range covers a project The management. relationshipbetweenresourceagriculture natural and for over 25 years, but had not previously looked at the local NGOs. DMDC has been involved in agriculture Wildlife Association, and - - - Diocese ofMonguDevelopment Centre. - - -

Diocese of Mongu Development Centre tection agenda, and intends to train at least one per- son from each of Zambia’s nine provinces to spread awareness. One of the main focuses of the project has been to help the churches recognize the links between their faith and the need to preserve biodiversity and Diocese of Mongu Development Centre Diocese of Mongu Development the environment. This will result in a changing of attitudes and practices of people living within the project catchment areas. Secondly, the project will provide basic training on what the Bible teaches on the religious mandate to protect biodiversity and the environment. The project has focused to date on two provinces; Chibombo (Central Province) and Schoolgirls from Lububa Basic School planting trees, in an activity arranged by Chikankata (Southern Province), which are located DMDC. approximately 100 and 200 kilometers from Lusaka The project has addressed several different aspects respectively. The potential to link the project with of environment and sustainable development, with other programs is high. CCZ works hand-in-hand the main aim of alleviating poverty in the area of with community-based organizations and commit- Mongu and the seven districts where the Center tees in order to replicate projects elsewhere. works. However, the most interesting outcome of the project has been a strong focus on local communities’ South Africa participation in the development of the project itself. The support of faith-based organizations in South Af- Sustainable participation and management of natural rica has been crucial in establishing an innovative pilot resources can be achieved with the active involvement project manufacturing affordable eco-friendly coffins. of local people not only as beneficiaries, but also as Funerals can be financially crippling for the poor in actors. This should serve to slow and even reverse many developing countries and communities. Not the current loss of natural resources. The strength of only do these families have to cope with their loss, but involving local communities comes from the histori- the costs associated with honoring the departed often cal role they played in natural resource management, increase their debts and worsen the grip of poverty. In which is known to have been effective and efficient. South Africa, where HIV/AIDS is taking a severe toll, Following high demand from local communities, a coffin usually costs between $300 and $400, yet it is DMDC is now considering starting three additional estimated that these coffins could be provided at less projects; (1) Poverty Alleviation Through Organic than 20 percent of that price. The Working for Water Farming of Rice in Western Province, (2) Poverty Alle- (WfW) program has come up with a practical solu- viation Through Sustainable Forest Management and tion that marries a low cost service to employment Participation, and (3) Parish Sustainable Agriculture programs and biodiversity conservation. The project Development Support Program. The organization is has been put together by a partnership consisting of consulting with other partners in the development of Working for Water, KwaZulu-Natal Department of these projects. Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, ARC, and Africa South African faith-based organizations. A third area of project activity is with the Zambia Council of Churches, exploring ways in which com- Working for Water is a national program that clears munities and churches in parts of the central eastern invasive alien plants, thereby benefiting water security, and southern provinces can be motivated to get in- the productive use of land, biodiversity conservation, volved with afforestation campaigns and food security and fire management. The program also provides projects. The project is also mobilizing and educating employment and training to people from marginal- Zambia’s churches to embrace an environmental pro- ized groups, and yields large amounts of timber from

31 32

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05

Working for Water Working for Water The raw materials: invasive pine, ready to processed be for coffins. manufacturing the twinning through value additional significant tion from competitors, extortionate but they will add intimida possible the withstand to authority moral a offer organizations faith-based of involvement the will only Not leaders. community and organizations faith-based local through distributed then are which coffins, high-quality low-cost, produce to use good to put be can timber This trees. invasive cleared the from cleared invasive alientree species. Wood workers withsome ofthefinished ‘eco-coffins’, manufactured usingtimber - n rsn ad rvdn opruiis o utilizing for opportunities inmates providing and to prison, in available facilities production and ing thetrain using the government, by use for coffins manufacture to Services Correctional of Department the with work to later is intention the addition, In areas. selected the within capacity suitable of ment establish the on building coffins, the of distribution and assembly the in taken be will approach phased A who have passedaway. those of remembrance in trees native of planting the for invasivesand of clearedareas of rehabilitation the for both used are These Association. Nursery African South the from support technical with plants, enous indig of growing labor-intensive the fund also will partnership internationally.The and nationally both areas, affluent more and communities resource-poor between dioceses) (e.g. communities faith-based of production andconsumption,industrialization. of patterns changing population, urban growing the are Others behaviors. and beliefs, mindset, attitudes, people’sfrom stem problem social this of factors ing underly the of Some malaria. diseases, and typhoid, cholera, diarrhoeal of incidence increased as such problems health public to leads also sanitation poor unsightly,looks only not but waste Solid debris. tion construc and sweeping, street wastes, institutional and commercial as such wastes non-hazardous and including Ghana. Solid waste generally includes countries, domestic refuse developing many in problem serious a constitutes resources material of and use natural irresponsible and management waste Solid Interfaith Waste Management Initiative Ghana ries from Mozambique andZambia. enqui to response in expansion at looking already is be replicated in many of parts Africa and beyond and to potential the has that project a is It Government. KwaZulu-Natal the by $150,000 awarded been also has and competition Marketplace” “Development Worldthe from Bank’sfunding leveraged has project these skills upon the release of the inmates. The pilot ------Although the Government of Ghana has established many legislative instruments to deal with wastes, there has been little visible improvement to date. Government alone cannot solve the problem, and it must be a shared responsibility of all Ghanaians. For this reason, the religious bodies in Ghana, with their diverse human and material resources, national pres- ence and close ties to the people as well as linkages with local and national government structures, can effectively contribute to the development of sound environmental management policies.

The World Bank office in Ghana, in the context of Archbishop Gorgorious of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. its program of Development Dialogues, organized a meeting with local faith groups and the Waste Arsi and Easter Shewa zones of central Ethopia. The Authority of Accra to discuss the start of a program course included learning how to optimize the produc- following an example of a successful ARC-led project tion of vegetables, dairy products, and honey through in the UK involving the Manchester Waste Authority sound environmental management. Participants and local faith groups. Following further dialogue, a were shown how to maintain soil fertility, conserve joint action plan has been developed. A number of resources through reforestation and erosion control, activities will be funded through the Development as well as use organic pest control systems. They were Dialogue Series aimed at diagnosing and examining also shown the importance of minimizing the use of the waste management situation in the country. This chemical-based fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. is expected to lead to a 3-year project proposal to help It was hoped that they would introduce the techniques fight the waste menace. into their own practice, and would also share their new knowledge with at least ten other farmers in their The World Bank office in Zambia is being kept up- home areas. Discussions are now continuing with the to-date on this project because Muslim Groups in regional president of Oromia on the feasibility of the Lusaka, together with representatives of the Norwe- Orthodox Church working with the government on gian Government, have expressed interest in starting an ambitious five-year plan to train many more farm- a similar project. ers in bio-farming techniques to increase productivity, conserve the environment, and reduce poverty. Ethiopia The IDA-financed Energy Access Project (renewable The World Bank Ethiopia office has financed an or- energy component) is being restructured. Due to the ganic farming training program held by the Ethiopian successful involvement of EOC-DICAC on projects Orthodox Church’s Development Agency (EOC-DI- to date, it is likely that the organization will be asked CAC), introducing farmers, clergy and community to be a new implementing agency for a $6 million leaders to alternative and improved methods of caring agricultural/reforestation program. Africa for the earth. The training included both technical assistance, and teachings on the Biblical mandate of Kenya concern and care for the environment as well as the rich legacy of how Christian saints, hermits, churches, ARC, in collaboration with the Assumption Sisters of and monasteries have contributed to conservation. Nairobi, has helped the first phase of the project with the Mwihoko Women’s Group on Promotion of In- An initial workshop was held in the town of Assela, digenous Foods and Natural Resources Management. attended by clergy and farmers selected from the This project has involved more than 5,000 people,

33 3 4

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05

MCET Kenya ing the construction techniques for the fish traps. fish the for techniques construction the ing show a video produced also project The fishing. of method wasteful less as well as people, young ployed unem many for generation income of source a be can and resources renewable from handmade is trap ten people from the Mtongwe area of Mombasa. This trained already has and Kenya, of fishermen Muslim (‘uzio’) the fish-trap Swahiliby traditional the of use revive to (MCET) Trust Education Civic Muslim the ARC’s with work supporting is Bank The fish. World mature and young both kill and which nets dynamite, meshed tightly of use the including ods, meth unsustainable introduced have years 30 or 20 past the over Kenya in practices fishing in Changes The demonstration. project is ongoing in2006. farm and preservation, food, cooked technologies, miscellaneous, crocheting, and crops, legumes, vegetables, fruits, handcrafts, knitting oil fodder, crops, wheat maize, livestock, follows: as categorizedwere displays The companies. other by in brought were that others among produce, available Worldlocally of displays 80 Banksupported funding crops. root and crops indigenous of promotion and practices through agro-forestry, conservation farming, who were encouraged to adopt sustainable agriculture ‘uzio’An ortraditional Swahili fishtrap. - - - sacred status the local communities accord to these to accord communities local the status sacred sacred the honor to order two in Earth” the to “Gifts as recognized forests Madagascar WWF yearsago when several its beginnings had initiative The Bank office. Madagascar country World the from support likely with together, issue this on work to community Benedictine the and car nowis tionship developing between MadagasWWF rela A date. to success little with met have area this gascar, yet—for a variety of reasons—formal efforts in Forest restoration is a priority for the island of Mada Madagascar domestic for consumption. caught fish and cash both including project, the from trainees the to returns economic MCET now intends to evaluate more thoroughly the located justoutsideofAntananarivo. monjisoa, second from right) withthePère Prieur (center) oftheMahitsyMonastery, WWF Madagascar’s Forest team (Gérard andJoseph Rama Rambeloarisoa,farleft; forothers. and theprocess isunderway sites, forest sacred two for achieved was status tion protec temporary 2006, April In ha. of 60,000 about area Southwest—an the of forests sacred major ment contractorprotection statusforalloftheother improveto provideand management manage legal a cessful, with subsequent requests received for support suc very proven has approach This forests. these to status formal offer to government encourage to and forests, sacred for respect and traditions their revive or maintain to communities other encourage forests, ------

WWF – Madagascar Following on from this initiative, WWF Madagascar their nurseries, they currently lack the technical ex- was invited to tour the eight Benedictine and Cister- pertise to take this next step. WWF Madagascar is cian monasteries in Madagascar. The monasteries al- now developing a funding proposal in collaboration ready have considerable nurseries (for fuel-wood pro- with the Madagascar country office to establish a pilot duction, food, and medicinal plants). They have the scheme to explore these opportunities. If successful, potential to be developed into centers of knowledge the projects may be scaled up within the country, and and for the provision of seed and nursery stores to pro- the concept replicated in Benedictine monasteries mote community-level forest restoration. Although elsewhere. the monasteries have dedicated people in charge of Africa

35

Support for Innovative Ideas

International Interfaith Investment Group (3iG) he World Bank has been involved in a non-financial capacity as a member of the Advisory Group for the International Interfaith Investment Group (3iG). The group’s mission is to contribute to a just and sustainable society through promoting responsible investment in a spirit of inter-faith and international Tdialogue and cooperation. 3iG provides the world’s faiths with a reliable and creative vehicle that enables them to harness the economic power of their assets—including shares, land, properties, water resources, and intellectual property—to support and promote programs, policies, and practices that are consonant with their shared values.

3iG was developed and funded through ARC from 2001 until the formal launch in April 2005. The first secretary general has now been appointed, al- lowing the group to move forward and concentrate on actual innovative in- vestment. The aim is to promote investment that combines the potential for good return with beneficial social and environmental 3iG was formally launched in 2005, attended amongst others by the Bishop of London, Rt. Hon. Richard Chartres (centre). consequences. While there has long been a tradition of some faiths using a screening policy in order not to invest in certain products explicitly banned by their teachings (e.g. alcohol, pork, gambling), little has been done to seek to pro-actively invest in areas that are supportive of the prin- ciples and teachings of the faiths. 3iG intends to allow the individual faiths’ influence on the financial and investment markets to be more effective, by giving them an option for investing in collaboration with other faith groups. The guiding phrase adopted for the project was that each faith should assess its portfolios with “due regard to the faith’s Support ideas for

37 38

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 strength, goodfoldingendurance, andpermanence. portant characteristics, other than printability, include im Other opacity.improve to pigments grade high other or oxide titanium with loaded heavily pulps, wood chemical bleached from produced generally is paper The paper. bible on printed also typically are by only a handful of companies and agencies. Qu’rans bulk low for books, such as Bibles primarily and dictionaries—is coordinated used paper opaque highly lightweight, very paper”—the “bible of Production and translations in over 2,200 languages and dialects. annually sold copies million 50 with book tributed dis widely most the and best-selling the is Bible The Bible the Greening Indonesian andJawa Kromo (Indonesia). Tagalogand languages—Cebuana and Tetun(Philippines), Leste), (Timor Asian East of number a into Network) Environmental Evangelical the by tiated Creation”(ini of Care the on “Declaration adopted pilot contract was given to SIL to translate the widely issues such as hygiene and rural development. A small development on languages sub-national and national in publishing secular of program major a has also it work, bible-translation its for known best Although languages. 1,400 some in actively working nization, SIL International is the world’s largest linguistic orga Declarations Language Local level.completely new religious-inspiredresponsiblesocially investmenta to bring help could this Potentially, investments. own their for policy,investmentexample an be can which faith pro-active a them showing by tradition faith a of members ordinary of power investing private the mobilize to is intention The example. and sermons, passed on to the laity of the faith—through teachings, for be also will faith the of develops funds held institutionally the it the policy that investment agree to faith-consistent has also 3iG joining faith Each canbenefit.”that alllifeonEarth beliefs, values, the environment, and human rights so - - - - meeting in April 2005 to bring together representa together bring to 2005 April in meeting a organized SIL, of Relations International of ment Depart the by assisted program, Environment and WorldBank’sfurther,the idea ToFaithsthis explore oftheworldisscarce. paper inotherparts of production the on Information certified. are that forests from produced is that paper using for faith-based reasons the mentions explicitly producer bible no (FSC), Council Stewardship Forest the or (FSI) Initiative Forestry Sustainable the by certified wood from produced is Europe and U.S. the in produced wide. Currently, although a majority of opaque paper supply chain and on in the the conservation of forests world impacts significant be could there processes, production friendly environmentally of support the as well as have producers articulate their faith through paper,bible of supply the green to possible were it If egon), Green Press Initiative (Michigan), andARC. The initiative is being taken forward by Metafore (Or made to involve key organizations in further dialogue. were and suggestions and information consequences, the of understand kind this access to producers assisting to open were meeting the at present tions Organiza forests. managed sustainably from inputs paper production rather than focusing solely on using production; that is, taking a life cycle approach to the paper for specifications the formulating when asked be to need that questions environmental of types the understand better to necessary is it literature, related green procurement choices in the production of faith- improve to that was meeting the of conclusion One supply thepaper. who companies the of practices environmental and processes production the and paper bible of sources bible paper, as well as better understanding the various through the explicit adoption of sustainably produced bibles of greening the explored meeting The NGOs. conservation and organizations, trade organizations, environmental Christian producers, bible from tives - - - - - Conclusion Conclusion

wenty years ago there was already great concern for the environment but almost no one gave any thought to the implicit (if not then explicit) environmental teachings of the world’s major faiths. Since 1986, when WWF held a meeting at Assisi at the behest of Prince Philip, then the WWF International President, Tthis connection has become increasingly recognized. Five of the world’s major faiths were represented at this initial meeting, and have later been joined by the other six major world faiths, and dozens of faith traditions, whose members have examined their scriptures and teachings and found reasons to become engaged in environmental management. This report has outlined a broad range of examples of how over the last five years the World Bank has been able to provide support to those people who are active because their spiritual beliefs lead them to environmental actions as part of the expression of their faith.

The interest in the links between the faiths and environmental management has grown dramatically among all the religions. Some groups which were late to join in—such as evangelical Christians—are now increasingly vocal in their desire to treat the planet in a more responsible way, and are even engaging with politicians on these matters. Some groups and individuals still remain reluctant for various reasons—often personal rather than empirical. It is interesting that many who openly admit to having no faith at all see the enormous synergies which could emerge from solid partnerships between faith groups and development agencies, and can be the most passionate supporters.

The World Bank and other development agencies now engage with an ever-increasing range of NGOs, but the faith organizations are often not included (though there are no- table exceptions to this). This is despite the fact that faith leaders tend to be more trusted than politicians, government leaders, NGOs, or representatives of foreign agencies, and that representatives and adherents to the faiths are found in almost every town, village or hamlet. Given that the global environmental issues are so serious—and most seem to be getting worse—it seems to be obvious and urgent that those whose core business is seeking environmental solutions should reach out to those who can point to sound environmental management as being a major part of their lives. Although it must be admitted that it can be difficult to get some agencies and individuals to recognize and

39 40

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 h evrnetl lmns n hi srpue and scriptures their in elements environmental the explore to groups faith helping for potential the so focus, development of focus major a as communities other agencies, Bank, and Worldgovernments increasingly the focus on As faiths. the within from ments invest for and actions potential policies, ofuntapped environmentally-sound amount a vast is There matters offaithhard tounderstand. todiscuss of westerners reticence frequent the find by villagers and senior government officials alike, who received in many of the World Bank’s client countries enthusiastically and easily remarkably are report this in described approaches the matters, environmental workinggroupsfor faith potential withon the on act - environmental agenda. the further to partnerships constructive and positive develop to and countries, all almost in pervasive ally tively engage with these dynamic faith groups, gener ac more to professionals development and environmental sphere, the in active more become to faith of people encourage will report this that hoped is It enthusiasm—to theactivities. authority—and labor, ideas, and inputs intellectual of deal great a bring themselves groups faith because high so not are report the in described work the of much of matters costs the that noted these be should It increases. on acting and disseminating about confident feel to leaders encourage to and teachings - - Appendixes Appendixes

Various Summary Documents Arising from World Bank-Sponsored Initiatives and Events

Appendix 1 Recommendations from the Northern Buddhist Conference on Ecology and Development (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, June 2005) The following conference recommendations were presented to the panel and conference for open discussion.

1. Establish an association to link the activities of temples and monasteries, governmental and nongovernmen- tal organization, and donors.

2. Produce a series of programs and articles concerning traditional conservation, and present these to the public through the press and broadcast media.

3. Prepare books and manuals on traditional conservation that are suitable for the public school curriculum.

4. Train specialists in ecology and traditional conservation at the Buddhist University.

5. Work toward establishing a suitable legal arrangement for Buddhist monasteries.

6. Establish official ecological conservation days for the Buddhist community.

7. Resolve the dates of arrival of the naga to be observed throughout Mongolia, and ensure that the associated taboos and symbolic customs are respected.

8. Develop Gandantegchenling Centre of Mongolian Buddhist as a model green monastery, using environ- mentally friendly technologies.

9. Link meritorious actions like funerals with nature conservation and restoration activities; for example, adopt and encourage a tradition of planting trees in honor of people who die.

10. Hold this conference again in the future on a broader scale.

11. Establish a working group to coordinate the implementation of the above recommendations.

12. Raise awareness in Buddhist communities of the need to ban hunting and trading of endangered species.

41 4 2

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 • • ( Conservation and Religion on Conference Charter, Raya Kebun 2 Appendix Kebun Raya Bogor, Bogor Botanical Garden, December 18, 2002) 18, December Garden, Botanical Bogor Bogor, Raya Kebun 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. NGOs. They agreed onseveral ideasasfollows: groups and their leaders, religious scholars, researchers and academia, and also representatives from various religious of representatives as such backgrounds), various (from people 80 approximately by attended was conference The 2002. the 18th, byDecember on held Bogor Raya was Kebun in Conservation (LIPI) Sciences and of Institute Religion Indonesian on Conference the world, this in life to of and value degradation the environmental increase and natural the mitigate and prevent to efforts organize to order In economic gains over long-termsustainability. and material short-term emphasize that activity human in changes to due is degradation The political support, management, and social and market-based—the environmental degradation is worsening. laws, and institutions policies, problem— this tackle to used been have approaches six Although lihoods. The increasing problem of environmental degradation and imbalance in Indonesia is likely to threaten live of theConference inCaféDe Daunan atKebun RayaBogor. more A Charter. detailed formulation of this Kebun Raya will Charter be done by Raya a working group based on the results Kebun this realizing in facilitator as LIPI appoint to agreed attendants The Promoting todevelop rational andadaptive efforts systeminsolvingurgentenvironmental problems. ment theconcrete experienceswhichare inspired by religious (values) oftheenvironment. many religious by communities such as done Pesantrens, be Churches, will Sunday or Schools, Banjars, done etc; also, to been docu have that activities the enrich to Plan Action an do to need a is There and caring of efforts the realize to projects safeguarding theecologicalbalanceandsustainable livelihoods. pilot as used be can that activities actual and practical for search the in partnership inter-religious promoting) (by together work to agreed attendants The ronmental focusedeconomicpolicy. degradationscausedby short-term envi the mitigating in wisdoms, cultural or teachings religious of values positive the apply to needed are scholars, and figures Cultural and Public leaders, Religious or Ulemas the of roles the Therefore dealing withenvironmental degradationproblems. in actual/real being and challenges (environmental) practical facing) (when it apply contextually can they so religion, particular own their of foundation moral the adapt to agreed attendants Conference and consistently strong of individualsefforts and the commitments community. on the part concerted care of the environment should not be done through mere procedural or accidental endeavors, but take to need efforts so world, the in Life (larger) of part a only is human a dimension, metaphysical the In ings regarding caringforandsafeguarding theenvironment. teach or verses scriptural exist there religion) each (within that stated religions all conference, this At

- - - - Appendix 3 Joint Statement of the participants to the workshop on “Islamic Teachings on Environmental Conservation (Fiqh Al-bi’ah)” (Sukabumi, 12 May 2004) Appendixes

Problem statement Increasing environmental degradation in Indonesia, such as high rate of deforestation, landslides, floods, air and water pollution and climate change, are threatening the survival of our society and reducing our quality of life. These are all the result of our irresponsible actions, as stated in the Qu’ran Ar-Rum 30:41:

Interpretation: Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned. That (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from Evil). (Ar-Rum/30:41)

Our response/attitude 1. We are aware that the said degradation will have negative effects and will disturb the balance of nature that will in turn threaten many natural processes that support life at present and in the future 2. We are aware of the need to have continuous efforts to reduce the rate of environmental degradation, to rehabilitate degraded lands and to protect what is still left. Essentially our environment is a gift from God and we are given responsbility to take care of it and use it for the benefit of society. 3. We are aware that the prosperity and health of future generations will depend on our wisdom and actions today in managing our re- sources. If we leave the natural capital in a degraded form, we rob them of their right to meet their aspirations and needs. an-Nisa’\4:9:

Interpretation Let those (disposing of an estate) have the same fear in their minds as they would have for their own if they had left a helpless family behind; let them fear Allah, and speak words of appropriate (comfort). (An-Nisa /4:9)

Recommendations 1. That all Indonesian society, particularly the Muslim communities, should be more active in their involvement in raising environ- mental awareness, influencing the formulation of environmental and resource mangement policies, and monitoring the implemen- tation of sustainable development being pursued by our government . 2. That community leaders should become models in their attitude and behaviour that support conservation efforts. 3. That the Indonesian government should continue to work together with other competent parties to plan, implement, and monitor development activities that give proper consideration to environmental sustainability. 4. That the Indonesian government should improve their efforts to enforce laws and regulations on the environment.

43 44

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 • • Opportunities • • • Weaknesses • • • • • • Strengths campaigns,pesantrens haveAs astrategicallyinconservation bothstrengths andweaknesses. Consultant,LincolnUniversity,Ms. AniKartikasari, NZ boarding (Islamic pesantrens in Indonesia in activities schools) on report supervision project a from Extract 4 Appendix development intheformaleducation system. its for space little is there when curricula informal in education environment mainstreaming for allies ful power them makes education environmental and conservation integrate to eagerness and openness Their projects. alternative institutions become to mobilize to people to take potential direct action high by active a leadership in have practical conservation pesantrens organizations, conservation of types other of absence the In that separatesscienceandtechnologyfrom religion. mindset traditional the formalizes and resourcemanagement, for basis the as science to link the limits this Often (fiqh). teachings classical the mastering on is emphasis educational their institution, religious a As withother partnerships formal forbuilding organizations. implications re has not often than This often trust. more on as based pesantren, are the lationships of management the in transparency of lack a often is There kyai regarding issues. contemporary new leaders outside the blood-line, and can institutionalize the gap in knowledge between junior and senior man show, with leadership hierarchy based on seniority. Thisone- stricta line ofgenerally heredityis often hindersactivities mobilityof of Management leaders. individual their on dependent highly Pesantrensare action forthecommongood. The continued presence and leadership of pesantrens provide continuity of vision and commitment to take often goontoeitherestablishtheirown pesantrens orhave someleadershiprole inlocalgovernment. who pupils graduated and leaders between of relationship continuity a exists There also agencies. technical government with positive relationships as well pesantrensas other with links networking strong have They communities. rural for makers decision key often are and influence have religious they and respected; are trusted leaders Their efforts. conservation to responsive more them makes livelihoods their for resources natural local of health the on Their physical presence inrural areas, as well as their roots in nature and their direct or indirect dependence etc.), andare inclusive intheirmembership. Pesantrens play multiple functions in rural communities (as a training centre, advocates, conflict mediators, students andthesurrounding communities. their for skills life relevant provide they education, to approach influ holistic their Through wide-spread areas. rural in and ence strong a with capital social of form a are pesantrens institutions, educational As - - - • With the ongoing shift toward local autonomy and a decentralized approach in resource management they may have more opportunity to influence local government policy toward adopting a long-term perspective. Moreover, the involvement of pesantren in conservation planning and activities can create an atmosphere of transparency that is required for improving governance of public resources such as forest, land, and water. • They can teach about the facts of the natural systems upon which life depends, linking these with religious teachings and the moral obligations that followers of Islam must follow. Appendixes • Their flexibility and independence, in terms of collaborating with other institutions, and the level of trust that the general public holds them in, allows them to hold moral sway over a vast audience. They can also provide a neutral venue and practical support for different parties to meet and conduct dialogue to tackle practical issues, as well as to initiate collaboration with government agencies. • Pesantrens can be a tool for developing and mainstreaming religious-based world-views and their perception of conservation of resources, thus precipitating development indicators that consider the health of nature as an important indicator for the overall well-being of society.

Discovering this potential, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is one organization that has moved to partner with pesantrens in conservation works. In the first place, LIPI provides technical assistance through tree nursery training and introducing effective technology.

“We have worked with various parties, from government institutions, business enterprises to NGOs. So far, not so good,” said Arie Budiman of LIPI. “Now we find a great potential and energy in this social-religious institution. We share the same concerns and ideals because Islam puts conservation in a high place. So we go for it”.

Challenges ahead Realizing a long-term role for pesantrens in conservation still has a long way to go. Faith and numbers of adherents are only part of the required capital. Stamina, continuity, and sincere willingness to face challenges along the way constitute the other part. Some of the challenges facing pesantrens as they join the struggle for better environment management, and which must be surmounted, include:

• Taking the initiative. Pesantrens have largely been strategic partners for other organizations on project- specific opportunities. When the partnership or the project concludes, so too the pesantren’s commitments to conservation. As such, it is time for pesantrens to take the lead in conservation matters, adopting this mandate as an outgrowth of their own religious teachings, and not because other institutions offer coopera- tion and short-term gains. • Willingness to give roles and opportunities to others. Kyais and their pesantrens are used to doing most things by themselves. This desire to always be a self-contained unit may weaken their green credentials because of the importance of inter-institutional cooperation and teamwork. • Transparency of organization. Once pesantrens engage in cooperation with other institutions, particularly with financial bodies, they will be subject to auditing, assessment, or verifications. This will reduce the focus on personal trust and confidentiality. High morality and strong commitment to religious values do not necessarily reduce the importance of transparency and accountability. • Proactive, not reactive. Pesantrens must learn to foresee the impacts of current practices on the environ- ment, and provide advice and guidance on how to prevent negative impacts, rather than just react once the degradation happens. That many people are returning to religion provides the pesantrens with an opportu- nity and a mandate to promote the long-term best interests of their communities in a proactive manner.

45 4 6

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 4. 3. 2. 1. innovations andwideningnetworks forthismission,through: a bigger, wider and greater scale of their involvement. Pesantrens and other must parties keep working, making hadencouraging have activities resourcesneed natural of loss and However,results.degradation, land inconservation destruction, environmental ongoing the participate to pesantrens by efforts preliminary now, of As of Islamic teaching. ronment and promoting its sustainability, practicing Islam throughactivities is conservation a clear application envi adherent’sthe the protecting on on impacts messages measurable strong Islamincludes Sincewell-being. and visible provide should religion practicing that pesantrens among awareness growing a is Moreover,there The latter requires cleanwater, yet itscontinuoussupplycanbeassured onlyifitssources are well-maintained. ment, if for no other reason than religious practice. After all, must be preceded by “thaharah” (ablutions). Real environmental problems are forcing pesantrens to play and a inenvironmentalpart conservation manage Recommendations Finding development. easieraccesstoappropriate technologytobuildtheircapacityforfacilitatingrural communities, aswell asstrengthening theirculturalcapital. local of well-being economic and social the on impacts bigger make to activities development rural with Integrating activities, conservation such as replanting degraded land and establishment of seedling nursery, institutionalize venture thisnew ofpesantren aspart domainandtradition. to organizations conservation other and LIPI and pesantrens between collaboration long-term a Adopting gram andextensionofnetworks. pro of types of terms in innovations more with pesantrens of initiatives aforementioned the Continuing - - - Appendix 5 Recommendations — “Formulating the Role of Islamic Ummat in Environmental and Nature Conservation” (Indonesia, June 2005) Appendixes 1. We recognize that Islamic ummat are required to comprehend the importance of conserving and protecting nature, and to apply these principles in everyday life.

2. Ummat Islam, especially the circle of pesantren, should actively conduct conservation activities, including marine and terrestrial conservation.

3. In order to promote conservation, necessary implementation actions should include socialization of the pesantren leaders, heads of the community, and of Islamic preachers (da’i) in each of the following environments:

(i) Pesantren, community, and mosque. (ii) Consolidation by activating all networks such as santri (pesantren student), community members, and society. (iii) Mobilization by inviting all citizens to participate actively.

4. The Islamic Jurisprudence of Environment (Fiqh al-Bi’ah) should be initiated as a study item in the various circle listed above with the agenda and timeline adapted to fit the needs of local community conditions.

5. Multistakeholder cooperation among government, environmental, and private sector institutions should be encouraged.

6. Islamic boarding schools (Pesantren) should establish areas (practice fields or farms) to demonstrate con- servation activities.

7. Government policy on environmental issues (particularly in local communities) should be monitored.

8. A Forum on Environmental Awareness (Forum Peduli Lingkungan) should be formed, with participation by Islamic boarding school leaders, scientists, and other stakeholders to identify and promote activities related to conservation and environment.

47 4 8

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 • • • • Asfollowersearth. ofJesus Christ,we believe thattheBible callsustorespond infourways: are exploring the technological, world’sthan ideologies and spiritual religions in search more of non‑Christian are spiritual resources for problems the healing environmental of the that convinced people, concerned Many • • • • We declare that: to thisend,givingfullconsiderationourspecialculturalandphysicalcontext. thereforewisely and stronglyand past, acting ourselvesthe to morewecommit in stronglythan part their play and government nongovernmental, and we both acknowledge and applaud these efforts. organizations, We believe it is nowand time for the churches to individuals by undertaken being are initiatives conservation ment environ many that Weproblems. aware ecological are our of solution the in role positive and active an taken always not have we confess we Scriptures, the of authority full the to committed Christ, of followers As sage inourchurches andprovide avariety ofrelevant writtenmaterials. environment in PNG through education, advocacy, motivation, and practical support. We will preach the mes the of care promoting to commitment serious a making are we on now from that declare environment the of theology the on consultation of 2003) 25–30, (Mayweek a for Goroka in Wemet have who leaders Christian cal AllianceofPNG An inter-church 2003) commitment to May care of the environment Guinea, in Papua New New Guinea— (Papua undergirded by the Evangeli Environment the and Christians on Declaration Goroka 6 Appendix Fourth, we seek to understand what creation reveals about God’s divinity, sustaining presence, and everlast for therevealing ofthechildren of God’ (Rom. 8:19). In our life and words we declare that full good news for all creation which is still waiting ‘with eager longing the Creator, about us the tells that Bible Third, all carefullylearn seek to we task. human creation,the and reduce theGospel tonothingmore thanthecare ofthatcreation. presume the Gospel has nothing to do with the care of non‑human creation and also ideologies that would rooted in the fullness of God’s be revelation in Christ and the and Scriptures. Wefaith, resistour both ideologies that would of center the from proceed to need earth the toward attitudes and actions our Second, used creation andforgottenourresponsibility tocare forit. ignore or Lord’s,Forgettingthe it. is of misuse our earth the revelationthat biblical support to twist simply wehaveoften which and creation, devalue which attitudes of repent and confess to us calls God First, ourselves to actionthatiscaring,informedandconstructive. Because we are called to be stewards of God’s creation as commanded in Genesis 1:28 and 2:15, we commit Christ’s healing tosufferingcreation. Good News of Christ in word and deed, to the work for the the sharereconciliation of of to Spiritall Holypeople fruits in the Christ, of and powerfirst to extend the in the working to ourselves us commit we to things, all extended of reconciliation and God from alienation our healed has God Christ, in Because, we have allowed oftheCreator’s thedestruction work. Because we have been ignorant we have failed in our stewardship of creation; therefore we repent of the way Because we worshipandhonortheCreator, we seektocherishandcare forthecreation. ing power, andwhatcreation teachesusof itsGod‑ given order andtheprinciples by whichitworks. - - - - We believe that in Christ there is hope, not only for men, women and children, but also for the rest of creation, which is suffering from the consequences of human sin.

• Therefore we call upon all Christians to reaffirm that all creation is God’s; that God created it good; and that God is renewing it in Christ. • We encourage deeper reflection on the substantial biblical and theological teaching which speaks of God’s Appendixes work of redemption in terms of the renewal and completion of God’s purpose in creation. • We seek a deeper reflection on the wonders of God’s creation and the principles by which creation works. We also urge a careful consideration of how our corporate and individual actions respect and comply with God’s ordinances for creation. • We encourage Christians to incorporate the extravagant creativity of God into their lives by increasing the nurturing role of beauty and the arts in their personal, ecclesiastical, and social patterns. • We urge individual Christians and churches to be centers of creation’s care and renewal, both delighting in creation as God’s gift, and enjoying it as God’s provision, in ways which sustain and heal the damaged fabric of the creation which God has entrusted to us. • We recall Jesus’ words that our lives do not consist in the abundance of our possessions, and therefore we urge followers of Jesus to resist the allure of wastefulness and over-consumption by making personal lifestyle choices that express humility, forbearance, self‑restraint and frugality. • We call on Christians to work for godly, just, and sustainable economies which reflect God’s sovereign economy and enable men, women and children to flourish along with all the diversity of creation. We recognize that poverty forces people to degrade creation in order to survive; therefore we support the de- velopment of just, free economies which empower the poor and create abundance without diminishing creation’s bounty. • We commit ourselves to work for responsible public policies which embody the principles of biblical stew- ardship of creation. • We invite Christians—individuals, congregations and organizations—to join with us in this Christian declaration on the environment, becoming a covenant people in an ever‑widening circle of biblical care for creation. • We call upon Christians to listen to and work with all those who are concerned about the healing of creation, with an eagerness both to learn from them and also to share with them our conviction that the God whom all people sense in creation (Acts 17:27) is known fully only in the Word made flesh in Christ the living God, who made and sustains all things. • We make this declaration knowing that until Christ returns to reconcile all things, we are called to be faith- ful stewards of God’s good garden, our earthly home.

Belden Kepi Research & Conservation Foundation Pastor Boisen Asi Christian Revival Crusade Bishop Clarence Kapali United Church Highlands Region Bishop Denys Ririka Anglican Church of PNG Major Dinunu Nenewa The Salvation Army Pastor George Manman Christian Outreach Centre Pastor Gireva Gireva Christian Life Centre (Pinewood Ch.) Pastor Martin Wayne Baptist Union of PNG Pastor Mathew Tapus Christian Apostolic Fellowship

49 5 0

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 David Kima Pastor Wilson Reré PastorTamat Irarue Rev.Taiya Zawia Rev. Siulangi Kavora Pastor Simil Hondolwa Pastor Simon Agateva Captain Patrick Wascu

Evangelical AlliancePNG,General Secretary Lihona Village Representative (CLC) St John’s Lutheran Church, Goroka United Church Goroka Tiliba (Good News) ChristianChurch Open Bible Church Foursquare Church The Salvation Army Appendix 7 Criteria for engaging Christian groups: Developed at the African Christian Leaders’ meeting in London 2004 Appendixes Creating the Criteria One of the main outcomes from the Gathering in November 2004 was the creation of an initial outline set of criteria that could be used to help construct a Memorandum of Understanding that would form a mutually agreed basis for all such partnerships.

Many speakers spoke of the frustration felt by African churches and organizations when they were either treated as second-class citizens in projects, confronted by unrealistic bureaucratic demands, or made to feel inferior or inadequate in some way or another. Over against this there was the reality for some funding agencies that they needed to be accountable to their constituents (especially in the case of governments) and that without checks and balances, there could not be a guarantee of appropriate use of resources.

It was recognized that this was an area where lack of prior agreement had often caused well-intentioned schemes to founder. It was for this reason that the Gathering created and agreed a basic outline of criteria, which were summarized as follows:

Criteria for the creation of Memorandums of Understanding 1. The need for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is based upon the experience of so many church bodies in the past. In particular, the failure right from the start of any collaboration with external bodies, to establish a joint understanding of what the project is about, how it will work out and what to do when things go wrong.

2. Both sides in a partnership bring different expectations and assumptions to any joint venture. Therefore, the first step in establishing partnerships should be envisioning—spelling out in broad terms the reasons why and with whom each group wishes to be involved.

3. This should enable a Shared Vision with similar goals to emerge from in-depth dialogue. Too often projects are brought from outside and “given” to the other side to do. This cannot be the basis for any future developments.

4. Such a Shared Vision should take into account the need for both vision and reality. It should explore and assess the existing infrastructure and its capabilities. This is in order not to overload fragile but functioning structures where a huge influx of money, demands, staff or expectations could actually destroy the very thing everyone most values, namely the ability of the faith group to work successfully at the local level. The Shared Vision should also take note of the dangers of institutionalizing what is already happening anyway and thus run the risk of bureaucratizing something that operates on a basis of unspoken agreements and trust.

5. Built into any Shared Vision should be the issues of mentoring, whereby each side feels it has something distinctive to teach or assist the other side in understanding of achieving.

51 52

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. pandemics canradicallyalter thefuture ofaproject inwaysthatcannotbeanticipated. and slumps economic disasters, natural warfare, as such forces external as adaptable be should project The The project shouldalwayslookforthesimplestmodeltobuild upon. aired, withoutrecrimination butadjudicatedby someoneor somegroup whombothsidestrust. ix. viii. vii. vi. v. iv. iii. ii. i. areas uponwhichagreement shouldbereached ofany actual program orproject: priortothestart Within the context of the Shared Vision and the equality of contributions, the following are seen as crucial the partnership. of different resources is fundamental to the establishment of equality as a basis fordevelopments further of equality This work. not could partnership the respect, and trust infrastructure, ground the on knowledge, has this and expertise or funds greater sometimes led to bring an attitude may of superiority.agencies But Outside without equality.the resources of of the faith basis community of a access, local makes that and table the to resources different brings side each that acknowledges project any that ensure to important is it upon, agreed been has Vision Shared the Once partnership. actual the of nature the to us brings This Arising from the above, there is also a need to create a Safe Space. A space where differences can be honestly capable ofbeinggeneratedby theproject orfaithgroup itselfwithinatthemostfour years. able within a short period of time. Such a criterion would mean that any financial assistance should be Finally, and this is one of the main reasons for working with faith groups, they should be self-sustain projects and leave themhavingtofaceissuesnotplannedforwhentheproject began. affect weather—can and changes forces—war, economic external because adaptable, be should They It wasstressed thatprojects shouldbesimpleandbuiltuponwhatis,notongrandiosedreams. meeting toproceed onsurer ground. such any of part major the enable better orderto in frustration and anger and debate for designed be would and contributions honest all to open be would which comments, for space a such with start may be one way of creating such a Safe Space. Or it may be that a regular planned joint meeting would body third neutral a have to agreement The side. either from judgment of sense a without directions, possible new resolve or grievances, hear or problems out hammer and meet to possible is it metaphysical, which in or physical a space, is This Space.” “Safe a as to referred was what be to needs There crises before theyhappenusuallymeansabettersystemthaninventing oneinthemidstofcrisis. even if they are done so with the hope that they will never need to be used. Planning for dealing with them, addressing for place into put strategies and discussed openly be should issues Such together. A facing up to potential issues of corruption—on both sides—is also key to an honest attempt to work face resolution ofdisagreements andagainisreflected isalsocrucial intheproposal hbelow. face-to- for and correction for appeal, proceduresfor wrong, going things with Structuresdealing for Transparency inthisandleadstopointhbelow. iscrucial group tofeelthereenabling thesupporting isanacceptablelevel ofaccountabilityandmanagement. crucial to avoid burdening the local infrastructure with inappropriate demands, while at the same time bodies organize themselves. A common language on issues such as financial and project management is Western economic accountability or project management is inappropriate and cuts across the way such Establishing a common “language” in terms of technical language. For many churches the language of Mutually agreed process ofprioritysetting–whatisthisactuallyallabout? - 11. Finally, all projects should show the ability to be self-sufficient. The whole point of working through the churches is that they have lasted for centuries and with God’s Help, will do so for centuries to come. Thus their strength is durability and sustainability. Anything which undermines or undervalues this is not going to work in the long run. Appendixes

53 5 4

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 • • • 2. Demands of theIslamic principles. acceptability the within but discuss can side other the which demands the presentMuslim would Community 1. Preamble The group discussioncentered on Preamble, Demands, Requirements andAspirations: 2nd group • • • • • • • • • • • In additiontothecriteria forthecreation ofanMOUwe needtoconsidersomefactors: 1st Group communities andorganizationssecularagencies. the alongside November in Christian Criteria Norway and it is to this which wetake hope will will guide the emerging we relationship at all which levels between Muslimthis is It issues. major a the with out ends drawing and summary group each of thoughts the records following The perspectives. of variety a from issues the in leaders Christian the by exploregroupsto of number a Gatheringbrokeinto the issues, these Inproperlyupon London. orderfocus to developed Criteria the to similar responses of series a developed Gathering The (2005) with groups Muslim Developed — African the Partnerships into Enter to Aspirations and Requirements Demands, 8 Appendix The for thecommongoodandnotthatofdonor-recipient.relationship mustbe thatofthepartners The ideasintheproposal mustbebottom-upandprioritysetting. Any project development andimplementationmustconformtoabide by Islamic Principles. toengage directlyThe partner withtheFBOs andnotthrough proxy. Haran and Halal issuesneedtobeconsidered. Utilize Islamic resources—financial and human. Engage in adialogueforexchange ofinformation. Respect theculturalset-upofCommunity. the access FBOs for development purposes. to designed be but (Mosques) institutions religious the in bureaucracy support not should It There shouldnotbeanyimpositionoftheproject onthecommunity. The Communityneedstobeinvolved from theword “go.” Islamic with comply should it short, Shariah, andthatshouldbetheguidingprinciple. In life. of way Islamic the with line in be should partnership The ties andtheirrights. The partnership should take into consideration the roles of men and women among the Muslim communi asequalpartners. Enter into partnership - 3. Requirements

• There should be autonomy in the management, subject to the agreed methodology, which must include consultations, transparency and accountability. • There should be a platform or forum for discussion and resolution of diversity of perceptions and opinions during the project life; if necessary, independent adjudicators should be appointed to adjudicate between Appendixes the parties. • The Muslim community will have no objection to take on board government directives or policies only so long as these do not interfere with the Islamic faith. • The project implementations should be free to go into partnership with other organizations provided the other partner does not take the existing project onto other directions not spelled out in the agreement.

4. Aspirations

• Our aspiration is to uplift the welfare of the Muslim society, faith, culture and environmental conservation. • The project implementation should have a time-scale that will ensure the project sustainability when a partner makes an exit. • The project should have a built-in business plan to ensure sustainability

3rd group

It was clarified that businesses do not have a propensity to do good. Their main aim, in fact is to maximize their profits and minimize their costs. It was underlined that instead there should be compassion, solidarity, peace, and especially justice as the only way forward.

So the Group identified the following point, which should be taken into consideration every time a partnership is initiated:

• Wealth creation. • Engagement. • There should be broad consultation before arriving to an agreement with a partner, principles from science and traditional knowledge should be taken into consideration always. • Education is also very important. It has to be ensured that Islamic values are taken into consideration dur- ing the education process and passed on. • It was also underlined that there is a need to appeal to the religious leaders to talk more about economics and issues of the modern world.

It was highlighted that Muslim organizations are loosely organized. But there is a need for leaders who are going to represent the community with a MOU to have the blessing of the whole community.

4th Group

They identified eight areas:

55 56

Faiths and the Environment — World Bank Support 2000–05 • • • • • • • • • • • COMMON AREAS: CONCLUSIONS • • • • • • • • of theproject. Last but not least it was underlined that a time line for the project should be identified at the very beginning oftheproject. start very Itstressedwas therethat ownershipcommunity be should projectthe presentof be should it and from the Accountability andtransparency were atalllevels. felttobecrucial religious institutions(Mosques), but with accesstotheFBOs fordevelopment purposes. in avoided be should bureaucracy and respected be should community the of structure basic existing The accordingtion andparticipation toShariah law. be preferred. Thispointisalsolinkedtotheconsultation process. In order to achieve the goals of the community it was highlighted that a bottom-up approach should always better place. a world the making at aimed be should undertake will community the projects the that specified was It It shouldrespect inapartnership theagreement. wasunderlinedthatallparties of whatthebenefitsprojects willbefordifferent partners. if there is a common vision among different partners. The common vision should also give a clear very idea consultation process and the common vision should happen at the same time as the consensus can be built the that suggested into.Itwas look should project the goals certain develop also should it and partnership any entering before happen should This vision. common a with hand in hand go should consultation The b) a) the Consultationshouldbeattwolevels: that highlighted was It fundamental. and important very is process Consultation a that underlined was It project. It Muslima for project. basis be not would every there teachings the with in comply not did project a denominator if that underlined common was a be should teachings Islamic for respect the that felt was It There shouldbetransparency andaccountabilityatalllevels. Organizations, etc. The partnership must respect the basic structure of leadership within the community, e.g. Mosques, Islamic There shouldbeappropriate gender representation andparticipation. All decisionsshouldberecorded inwrittenform. within thecommunity. bythelocal Shura (Islamic Consultative Process) must be adhered language appreciated to all levels of decision making between partners and ina be must community. documentation discussion, design, negotiation, The Management ofthe project mustbelocallybased. tion thatmustberespected. The partnership must not compromise the Islamic Principles. Muslims have unique sensitivity and orienta Together with a bottom-up approach, it was underlined that there should be appropriate gender representa consultation process atbothlevels. the enter project should the of beneficiaries the all Itthat suggested performed. also be was projectto The other level of consultation has to be conducted between the partners and before they agree on the project to work outtheirexpectationsfrom theproject. the in involved MuslimCommunity the among Process)consultation Consultative (Islamic Shura A - - Environment and Social Development Sector East Asia and Pacific Region

THE WORLD BANK 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 USA Telephone: 202-473-1000 Fax: 202-477-6391 Web site: www.worldbank.org Email: [email protected]

Twenty years ago there was already great concern for the environment but almost no one gave any thought to the im- plicit (if not then explicit) environmental teachings of the world’s major faiths. Since this time, the connection has become increasingly recognized, and now members of all eleven of the world’s major faiths, and dozens of faith traditions, have examined their scriptures and teachings and found reasons to become engaged in environmental management. This re- port outlines a broad range of examples of how over the last five years the World Bank has been able to provide support to those people whose spiritual beliefs lead them to environmental actions as part of the expression of their faith.

The interest in the links between the faiths and environmental management has grown dramatically among all the reli- gions, and some of the groups which were late to join in are now among the most vocal. Some groups and individuals still remain reluctant for various reasons—often personal rather than empirical. It is interesting that many who openly admit to having no faith at all see the enormous synergies which could emerge from solid partnerships between faith groups and development agencies, and can be the most passionate supporters.

There is a vast amount of untapped potential for environmentally-sound policies, actions and investments from within the faiths. As the World Bank, other agencies, and governments increasingly focus on communities as a major focus of development focus, so the potential for helping faith groups to explore the environmental elements in their scriptures and teachings and to encourage leaders to feel confident about disseminating and acting on these matters increases. It should be noted that the costs of much of the work described in the report are not so high because faith groups themselves bring a great deal of intellectual inputs and ideas, labor, authority—and enthusiasm—to the activities.

Although it must be admitted that it can be difficult to get some agencies and individuals to recognize and act on the potential for working with faith groups on environmental matters, the approaches described in this report are remarkably easily and enthusiastically received in many of the World Bank’s client countries by villagers and senior government of- ficials alike, who find the frequent reticence of westerners to discuss matters of faith hard to understand. It is hoped that this report will encourage people of faith to become more active in the environmental sphere, and de- FAITHS AND THE ENVIRONMENT velopment professionals to more actively engage with these dynamic faith groups, developing positive and constructive partnerships to further the environmental agenda. World Bank Support 2000–05

Cover.indd 1 06/21/2006 1:30:02 PM