The International Nonviolence Organization (Free Muslims), affiliated with the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Husseini Shirazi Foundation, issued a message addressed to the leaders of the upcoming Climate Change Conference. The message reads as follows:
Esteemed Leaders of the World,
On behalf of the International Nonviolence Organization (Free Muslims), which believes in the value of life and human dignity, we make this urgent appeal before the upcoming conference.
The climate crisis is not merely an environmental issue; it is a profound human and existential crisis that threatens the foundations of security, peace, and justice across the globe. It affects the poorest and most vulnerable people most severely.
It is time to move beyond empty promises and slow steps. The damage caused by climate change—droughts, floods, and storms—has become a silent weapon destroying human lives and tearing apart communities.
We urge you to give serious attention to the following points, take decisive action, and place humanity and human dignity at the heart of every decision:
1. Ending the suffering of climate migrants:
“Climate migrants” must be recognized as a group requiring international protection and humanitarian assistance, and legal and normative frameworks should be established to address their situation.
A global adaptation and migration fund should be established to finance climate-related migration solutions and support host communities, as well as internally and internationally displaced persons.
2. Combating drought and ensuring food security:
Commit to financing sustainable projects to combat desertification and drought in the most affected regions, especially in Africa and Asia.
Allocate substantial financial and technical resources for developing climate-resilient agricultural technologies and ensuring food security as a fundamental and undeniable human right.
3. Addressing climate poverty and financial justice:
Financial commitments made under climate agreements must be fully and immediately honored, going beyond existing pledges, through a fair and direct financial mechanism to compensate “loss and damage” in developing countries—those least responsible for the crisis.
Instead of paying interest, restructure or cancel the debts of poor nations to enable them to invest in climate adaptation.
4. Ensuring participation and protecting voices:
Guarantee the meaningful participation of directly affected communities—especially women, youth, and indigenous peoples—in designing and implementing climate action programs.
Protect environmental activists and human rights defenders from intimidation and violence, as they stand on the frontlines of the struggle for a sustainable planet.
Our Vision: Nonviolence for a Sustainable Planet
The principle of nonviolence extends to our relationship with nature. Violence against the environment is violence against humanity. The systematic destruction of resources, greedy exploitation, and unrestrained emission of greenhouse gases are all forms of violence that must end.
We urge you to make this conference a turning point—producing historic and courageous agreements that reflect the moral and historical responsibility of industrialized nations—and to steer the world toward an economy that respects planetary boundaries, prioritizing climate and social justice over short-term profit.
A just and peaceful future cannot be built on devastated lands and displaced populations. Act now, for tomorrow may be too late.
International Nonviolence Organization (Free Muslims) – Washington
