THE CONCEPT OF ISLAMIC SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN HUMAN CIVILIZATION: PERCEPTIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS MITIGATION

The world today is living with the repercussions of numerous problems, which have become the focus of discussion for research centres, countries, and international organizations. These issues are a result of what is known as the phenomenon of global warming, where environmental disasters have increased, global problems have multiplied, and are becoming more exacerbated day by day in climate changes and an unprecedented rise in global temperatures. All global environmental indicators point to accelerated turning points in environmental climate changes worldwide. However, this precise depiction of the climate change issue is not clear enough for the majority of people globally, especially in North Africa and the Mediterranean region. It is today one of the most prominent and dangerous environmental problems of the era, threatening all forms of life on Earth. Reports indicate that we have reached what is referred to as the saturation point, meaning the physical-biological capacity threshold of the Earth system. We are no longer maintaining stability and are approaching critical tipping points. (Rockstrom, J. 2023. Safe and just Earth system boundaries. Nature Article) This, in turn, poses a significant threat to life systems and stability on Earth, exacerbating issues of social, economic, and ethical inequality. As this problem has evolved into a daily struggle, we experience it due to excess in everything, from natural resource depletion to corruption in all its forms. This includes severe food shortages, unprecedented temperature rises, additional health risks, and an increase in the number of climate change victims in North Africa, the Mediterranean region, and developing countries. (Hzami, A., & Heggy, E. 2021. Alarming coastal vulnerability of the deltaic and sandy beaches of North Africa. Nature Article) Despite many regions where most Muslims live being highly susceptible to climate change, and despite Islam often assuming and attributing significant religious, social, ethical, and spiritual importance in these regions, numerous studies and research have attempted to find solutions to the issue of climate change. However, few Western studies in the humanities and social sciences have explored the relationship between the concept of social justice and sustainability, with a material understanding of human well-being in this worldly life. It is through this understanding that we have arrived at our current state today. Given that Islam places significant importance to the social and human aspects in understanding sustainability, the research aims to be the link between Islamic social justice and global climate change. Considering the risks faced in the Islamic world and the challenges in this area, the researcher sees this issue as the focal point of the study. The role of the study is to connect human civilization and the concept of Islamic sustainable development to the concept of comprehensive justice for the climate change issue, taking into account the holistic relationship and connection between heaven and earth, religion and the world, modernity, and ethics within the framework of (the concept of social justice in Islam).