According to the organizers, climate change is one of the most serious problems for Kyrgyzstan, and the topic of ecology is closely related to Islamic values. They emphasize that religious institutions can be important partners for the state and civil society organizations in increasing climate literacy.
Project manager Taazima Temirova reported that during the survey, which involved about 300 clergy, 94.7% of respondents believe that caring for nature is their religious and moral duty. Additionally, 86.8% of participants expressed their concern about the state of the environment, and 98% are willing to undergo training on climate issues.
More than 80% of respondents noted that imams are already discussing environmental issues, usually through calls for cleanliness and moderation. At the same time, the organizers noted that there is a lack of methodological materials and insufficient systematic work in this direction.
According to the survey results, 64.6% of participants associate environmental problems with people's irresponsible attitude towards nature, while 32.1% point to the decline of religious and moral values as one of the reasons.
Director of the Public Association "MuvGreen" Azat Muradyll believes that involving mosques and madrasas in discussions on environmental topics can be an effective way to foster a more responsible attitude in society towards climate change and ecological issues.
“This research has shown for the first time that religious institutions can become powerful allies of the state and NGOs in promoting climate education. Imams and madrasas have trust and moral authority, and appeals through religion are perceived more deeply than administrative directives,” noted Azat Muradyll.
As part of the pilot project, the Public Association "MuvGreen" plans to train 60 clergy in creating and promoting content about caring for nature. In the future, the project may be expanded nationwide.
