Speeches
Address by Singapore's Ambassador for Climate Action at Inter Religious Earth Day Dialogue 2026
22 April 2026
Read the speech by Singapore's Ambassador for Climate Action on climate change and nature loss, and ways we can tackle it.
Responsibility, Reverence, Restraint
Honourable leaders of faith, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
Thank you Caritas Singapore for bringing together, on this day dedicated to our planet, voices of faith from so many traditions.
THE SILENT KILLERS
The world is transfixed by the daily news cycle: devastating wars, energy crisis, trade frictions, and rising cost of living.
But there are two silent killers which are slowly but surely affecting lives and livelihoods.
And, if unchecked, will become existential threats affecting all of humanity: climate change and nature loss.
Climate change is no longer a distant threat — it is our daily reality.
Global temperatures are continuing to increase, sea levels are rising faster than in the last 3000 years, the polar ice caps are melting faster than expected, and glaciers are retreating at record pace.
We saw its impact in the catastrophic floods in Pakistan in 2022 that affected over 30 million people and submerged a third of the country.
We saw it again last year: the third-hottest year ever recorded. Heat stress now kills one person every minute globally.[i]
The climate crisis we ignore today will be the defining crisis of tomorrow.
Nature loss is accelerating — with dire consequences for water and food security.
We see it in the rapid deforestation of the Amazon and Southeast Asia, where critical ecosystems that regulate climate and water cycles are being degraded.
Nearly half the world’s population lives with severe water scarcity for at least one month a year.[ii]
We see it in the collapse of biodiversity—nearly one million species at risk of extinction, many within decades. In Southeast Asia, up to 42% of all species could be lost.[iii]
We see it in the decline of insect pollinators, which threatens global food production, and in the degradation of soils that underpin agriculture.
THE TWIN TRAGEDIES
Climate change and nature loss are not just scientific or economic problems. They are moral problems, driven by two well-known dynamics: the tragedy of the horizons and the tragedy of the commons.
The tragedy of the horizons is that we vastly prioritise the present over the future.
The decisions that will shape our climate future are made in the present. But the costs of climate change fall largely on the future.
And so we delay. We focus on short-term gains over long-term survival.
Ultimately, this means much larger long-term costs.
By delaying the action and investments needed today, we are passing an enormous burden to future generations.
The tragedy of the commons is that we exploit shared resources hoping that others will restrain themselves
Our planet and our atmosphere are our shared resources. But no one owns them.
So, each country, company, or person has an incentive to take more – to emit more greenhouse gases, to consume more of the planet’s resources.
But when everyone does the same, it leads to collective ruin in the form of catastrophic climate change and nature degradation.
How can we overcome the twin tragedies? This is where faith traditions come in. They speak to the inner dimensions of these tragedies.
RESPONSIBILITY, REVERANCE, RESTRAINT
Faith traditions offer three principles supporting care for the environment:
responsibility: the stewardship of creation
reverence: the interconnectedness of all life
restraint: moderation and simplicity in living
First, stewardship of creation — that the Earth is not ours to own but is ours to care for and pass on to future generations.
Judaism tells us: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”[iv]
Christianity emphasises the principle of stewardship.
In his encyclical Laudato si’, Pope Francis reminds us that the earth has been given to us to protect, not exploit. This encyclical influenced the moral framing leading up to the Paris Agreement in 2015, which set limits on global warming.
Islam speaks of humanity as khalifah—a trustee.
As the Prophet Muhammad puts it: “If the final hour comes while you have a sapling in your hand, plant it.”[v] Even at the end of time— act for the future.
The Baha’i faith presents nature as a divine trust and a reflection of God’s majesty.
A modern saying beautifully summarises this principle of stewardship:
We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
Second, the interconnectedness of all life — we are not separate from nature, we are part of it.
Hinduism teaches “All that exists in this universe is pervaded by the Divine." [vi]
In this vision, rivers, forests, animals, and the elements are not resources to be consumed carelessly, but expressions of a deeper divine order. Protecting nature is not separate from spiritual life.
Zoroastrianism endorses the caring of “seven creations” – sky, water, earth, plant, animal, human and fire – as part of a symbiotic relationship.[vii]
In Buddhism, interconnectedness is foundational.
The Dalai Lama speaks of the profound interdependence of all phenomena and reminds us that the suffering of the Earth is inseparable from the suffering of beings.
Jainism urges respect for all forms of life and protection of the natural world as part of a moral and religious obligation.
The Islamic concept of tawhid emphasises the unity of God and creation; nature is a sign of God, not a mere resource.
Or as Pope Leo puts it: “The universe reflects the face of Jesus Christ, in whom all things were created and redeemed”.[viii]
The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, teaches: “Air is the Guru, Water is the Father, and Earth is the Great Mother of all.”[ix] This is not metaphor. It is relationship. It is kinship.
In short, we are part of a larger order; to act against it is to act against ourselves.
Caring for creation is part of loving God and neighbour.
Third, moderation and simplicity in living. Excessive consumption and waste are key drivers of climate change and nature loss.
In Buddhism, desire is the root of suffering. Contentment comes from appreciating what we have, not accumulating endless possessions.
The Jain principle of “aparigraha” – or non-possessiveness – supports moderation in consumption, low-waste living, and sustainable diets.
Taoism teaches: “He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough."[x]
Christianity calls us to live with gratitude and restraint, pointing out that “godliness with contentment is great gain.”[xi]
Effective climate action is not just about finance or technology. It is ultimately about individual choices – how we live and what we support.
It boils down to simple acts of conservation in daily life.
It is about supporting policies that protect our environment.
It is about willingness to bear some inconvenience or cost for a larger good.
Religious organisations can be a powerful force to shape individual choices.
By emphasising the spiritual principles of stewardship, interconnectedness, and moderation.
LEADING CLIMATE-FRIENDLY AND NATURE-POSITIVE INITIATIVES
Besides shaping individual choices, faith-based organisations can support climate and nature through their direct actions.
First, incorporating sustainable practices in how you manage your physical assets.
The Lutheran Church of Sweden owns 22% of Sweden's commercial forests. It has committed to protect 20% of forest areas.[xii] [xiii]
The Diocese of Leeds supported 245 churches to switch to renewable electricity and better manage their energy use.
We see this locally too, in how places of worship are being made greener.
Masjid Al-Aleem Siddique eliminated single-use plastic bottles during Ramadan and adopted solar energy.[xiv]
Efforts like these will inspire your congregations and communities, which include business leaders, professionals, and community influencers.
When you model sustainable practices, they bring these values into their professional decisions, creating ripple effects beyond the immediate community.
Second, supporting climate and nature through philanthropy and community action.
Islamic endowments are adopting new "green waqf" frameworks to finance renewable energy and climate projects.[xv]
In Indonesia, a "Sharing Electricity" waqf project funds solar systems for off-grid villages.[xvi]
In 2022, WaterAid raised US$250,000 to provide clean water in climate-affected communities.[xvii]
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, active in over 95 countries, advocates community recycling, vegetarian diets, and resource conservation.[xviii]
In Malaysia, they diverted over half a million tonnes of waste from landfills since 1995.[xix]
In Taiwan, they recycled over 1.4 million tonnes of paper, saving over 28 million trees over the past 20 years.[xx]
The Mata Amritanandamayi Math from India has framed climate action as a “revolution of compassion”.[xxi]
It has planted more than one million trees globally, cleaned up rivers, promoted composting and recycling, and launched organic food cultivation programmes – to reduce carbon emissions and strengthen local resilience.[xxii]
Third, helping communities adapt and thrive in a carbon-constrained, climate-impaired world.
We are heading into a world where communities have to deal with two challenges at the same time:
Mitigation – restructuring our economies and adjusting our lifestyles as the world is forced to step up decarbonisation amidst worsening climate change.
Adaptation – building up resilience against the consequences of climate change on how we live and how we work.
Southeast Asia's transition to a low-carbon future will entail significant socio-economic trade-offs.
Many regional countries still rely on fossil fuels for energy and jobs.
We must ensure that the energy transition is also a just transition.
Faith-based organisations can walk alongside communities, providing support and reskilling workers.
Southeast Asia is expected to be most affected by climate change – through heat stress, floods and droughts, and sea-level rise.
The human cost of climate change will be greatest in the poorest and most fragile places.
Faith-based organisations can play a critical role in helping to build community resilience to withstand what is coming.
This could mean supporting farmers to grow drought-resilient crops, helping build flood-safe housing, and assisting relocation from high-risk areas.
Closer to home, it could mean helping lower-income households protect themselves against heat stress as temperatures continue to climb.
Religious organisations will also have a growing role in providing relief amidst worsening natural disasters. They are already stepping up.
When typhoons slammed into the Philippines in recent years, churches and faith‑based agencies from across the region mobilised immediately, not only providing shelter and necessities but also helping to rebuild homes and livelihoods.[xxiii] [xxiv]
Climate change does not respect national boundaries or differentiate religions. To deal with it, we must collaborate across faiths and across borders.
A SHARED MORAL CALLING
We began with the two tragedies underpinning climate change:
the tragedy of the horizons and the tragedy of the commons.
Both arise from a narrow view of self: a self concerned
only with the present, only with its own gain.
Faith traditions expand our view of the self.
We are part of something larger. We are accountable to something higher.
Climate action is thus not only policy. It is not only economics. It is a moral and spiritual calling.
We come from different faith traditions, walk different paths. But we share some abiding spiritual truths:
The Earth is a trust.
Life is interconnected.
Moderation is virtue.
The common language of all religions is love – to care for one another, to cherish our common humanity, to safeguard our common home.
Let our attitude to our planet be one of responsibility, reverence, and restraint.
Let us pray to be good stewards and wise custodians, choosing compassion over indifference, action over inertia, and hope over despair.
[i]Lancet Countdown (2025, December 10). 2025 Report – Lancet Countdown. https://lancetcountdown.org/2025-report/
[ii]The Conversation (2026, January 20). The world is in water bankruptcy, UN scientists report – here's what that means. https://theconversation.com/the-world-is-in-water-bankruptcy-un-scientists-report-heres-what-that-means-273213
[iii]Ecosperity (2021). New Nature Economy Asia Report. https://www.ecosperity.sg/content/dam/ecosperity-aem/en/reports/new-nature-economy-asia-low-res-pages.pdf
[iv]English Standard Version Bible (2001). Genesis 2:15. https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Genesis+2
[v]Ḥadīth: Aḥmad (n.d.). ahmad:12902. https://hadithunlocked.com/ahmad:12902
[vi]Upanishad (n.d.). Isha Upanishad: All that is World in the Universe. https://upanishads.org.in/upanishads/sa/ishaupanishad/isha-upanishad-all-that-is-world-in-the-universe
[vii]Arc World (n.d.). What does Zoroastrianism teach us about ecology? http://www.arcworld.org/faithsee06.html?pageID=12
[viii]The Holy See (2025, September 1). For the 10th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation 2025. https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/creation/documents/20250630-messaggio-giornata-curacreato.html
[ix]Sikh Darma International (2020, May 21). Sikhism and the Environment. https://www.sikhdharma.org/sikhism-and-the-environment/
[x]Tsitic (n.d.). Tao Te Ching Chapter 46. https://www.taoistic.com/taoteching-laotzu/taoteching-46.htm
[xi]English Standard Version Bible (2001). 1 Timothy 6:6. https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Timothy+6:6
[xii]WWF-Singapore (2021). Keeping the faith. https://www.wwf.sg/keeping-the-faith/
[xiii]Derevo (2025, March 7). Swedish Church Commits to Sustainable Forestry Practices Shifting Focus to Preservation and Community Engagement. https://derevo.ua/en/publication/swedish-church-commits-to-sustainable-forestry-2773
[xiv]Masjid Abdul Aleem Siddique (n.d.). Green Mosque. https://aleemsiddique.org.sg/green-mosque/
[xv]World Bank (2025, November 24). Islamic Finance and Climate Agenda: From Green Sukuk Innovation to Greener Halal Value Chains. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/malaysia/publication/islamic-finance-and-climate-agenda
[xvi]UNDP (2022, September 20). Green Waqf Framework. https://climatepromise.undp.org/sites/default/files/research_report_document/INS-20SEP-GREEN%20WAQF%20FRAMEWORK.pdf
[xvii]EasternEye (2023, March 24). Ramadan charity: WaterAid to provide clean water in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Mali. https://www.easterneye.biz/ramadan-charity-wateraid-to-provide-clean-water-in-pakistan-bangladesh-and-mali/
[xviii]Tzu Chi USA (2023). Buddhists in Action: Building Climate Resilience for a Sustainable Future. https://tzuchi.us/blog/buddhists-in-action-building-climate-resilience-for-a-sustainable-future
[xix]Citizens Journal (2025, June 29). Tzu Chi Malaysia celebrates 30 years of green impact. https://cj.my/154596/tzu-chi-malaysia-celebrates-30-years-of-green-impact/
[xx]Tzu Chi Philippines (2024, August 13). Tzu Chi Youth plants 520 trees, nurturing environmental hope and future with FEED. https://tzuchi.org.ph/news/features-and-stories/tzu-chi-youth-plants-520-trees-nurturing-environmental-hope-and-future-with-feed/
[xxi]Amma (2023, April 16). Vishu marks Amma’s launch of new environmental initiatives on a global scale. https://amma.org/news/amma-celebrates-vishu-with-the-launch-of-new-environmental-initiatives-on-a-global-scale/
[xxii]Amma (2025, September 2). Amrita University: India’s first Carbon-Neutral Academic Conference makes a Clarion Call for a sustainable world. https://amma.org/news/amrita-university-indias-first-carbon-neutral-academic-conference-makes-a-clarion-call-for-a-sustainable-world/
[xxiii]Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific (2022). Super Typhoon leaves destruction in the Northern Philippines. https://asiapacificnazarene.org/super-typhoon-leaves-destruction-in-the-northern-philippines/
[xxiv]Caritas / ReliefWeb (2026). Caritas Philippines responds as communities recover from multiple disasters. https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/caritas-philippines-responds-communities-recover-multiple-disasters