PV: Sir, can you share about the participation of religions in environmental protection and climate change response in recent times?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Van Tuan: Currently, Vietnam has 16 religions recognized as legal entities with about 27 million followers, distributed throughout the country. It can be said that all religions are ready and in agreement with the Party and State's policy of protecting the environment and responding to climate change. Even in the teachings and scriptures of many religions, there are contents related to the environment, the relationship between humans and the environment, and the responsibility of humans to the environment. Many religions have stipulated in their charters and laws issues related to environmental protection.
In recent years, the Program “Coordinating to promote the role of religions in environmental protection and climate change adaptation” between the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and religious organizations is the first official, large-scale program on this issue. If in the past, religions only followed the regulations in doctrines and canon laws, without having a clear viewpoint, now, the act of signing and agreeing to participate in the Program has helped religious organizations become more aware of their role in environmental protection, climate change response, and actively contribute to the development of the country.
Religions have actively conveyed awareness of the responsibility to protect the environment and respond to climate change in each sermon to followers and disseminated to the people. At the same time, each religion has proposed specific actions such as popularizing models of hygienic garbage collection, banning the burning of votive paper, selecting species for release that do not affect the ecosystem, and guiding good habits that do not harm the environment...
Believers, dignitaries, and monks not only contribute to spreading the environmental protection movement in their religious community but also have connections with other religions. From there, creating a broader impact, enriching environmental protection activities in the area where the religion is operating. For example, cleaning up trash in public places, cleaning village roads, alleys, building new rural areas...
Associate Professor, Dr. Chu Van Tuan, Director of the Institute of Religious Studies
PV: How will these actions help believers on their path of practice, sir?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Van Tuan: All religions are good, aiming for peace and happiness for everyone. The teachings of some religions believe that this world is a product of God given to humans and that humans must respect and love everything. Buddhism advises humans not to kill living beings, not to destroy all species including plants... Many religions consider the environment as the human body and encourage humans to live in harmony with nature.
Faced with the dangers of pollution and climate change that can cause social injustice and negatively impact life, religions have voluntarily responded. In my opinion, this also means that religions are promoting goodness, encouraging people to develop kindness, humanity, and humanism.
Practicing to become a good person, but just being good to your parents and relatives is not enough. Kindness and humanity must be towards society, people around you, and towards the environment, nature, and plants. When believers have thoroughly understood the philosophy of love towards all species, have love for the world and the environment, then the humanity, compassion, and charity of people will be expanded, become deeper and more comprehensive. Doing good environmental protection activities is also the practice of believers in love, humanity, and social responsibility, helping believers to be more perfect on the path of practice.
PV: As you shared, even in the teachings of religions, followers are advised to respect nature and the surrounding living environment. Is this the main reason why religions enthusiastically support the Program of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Central Fatherland Front, sir?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Van Tuan: That's right. When religions jointly implement actions to protect the environment and respond to climate change, they can demonstrate their religious doctrines, viewpoints, and orientations on this issue. At the same time, they demonstrate social responsibility in the general development trend of the country. In other words, the policy of protecting the environment is very suitable for religions because all religions have direct or indirect views on the environment and environmental protection.
Each religion is also a social organization. They have distinct characteristics, not all organizations or social institutions have those characteristics. That is, when religions launch and put forth viewpoints and regulations, followers will implement them very seriously. Because followers see this as their social responsibility, to practice the doctrine, with the meaning of cultivation and training, not simply as administrative work. The activities of religious organizations have a great influence and form a sense of self-awareness to protect the environment and respond to climate change among followers and the surrounding community.
In addition, the participation of religions in environmental protection activities also helps religions to strengthen their role and influence on society. Through these activities, religions spread more religious philosophy, religious spirit, religious culture, etc. In addition, when the environment is clean, the city is green and clean, the new countryside develops, the quality of life of the whole society is improved, including religions.
In my opinion, it would be a pity if the Program only stopped at signing a memorandum of understanding without any specific activities. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and local authorities need to have practical activities to concretize and improve the effectiveness of this program, at the same time, help each religious organization promote their strengths when participating in environmental protection and responding to climate change. That could be encouraging followers to use environmentally friendly products, reduce waste and waste; plant trees, medicinal plants, vegetables and fruits to limit the use of pesticides...
PV: How will the spread of environmental protection and climate change response actions contribute to promoting religious solidarity and building national solidarity, sir?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Van Tuan: As I just shared, religions are ready to participate in environmental protection and climate change response. They interact, share experiences in implementing activities and good models, and become more connected, understand each other better, and erase previous prejudices. This is also being promoted in many other fields such as health, education, new rural construction, national construction and protection...
Responding to climate change and protecting the environment have become forums - or one could say "bridges" - connecting religions in Vietnam. Mutual understanding helps religions become more united, and thus helps strengthen the country's common solidarity.
PV: Thank you very much, Associate Professor, Dr. Chu Van Tuan, for answering the interview of TN&MT Newspaper!
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