THE inclusion of Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, a PAS MP, as the environment minister in the Perikatan Nasional government brought with it plenty of intrigue nationwide. Generally, citizens were not impressed with the choice made by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. They are not convinced the environment would be foremost on the agenda of anyone from PAS, an Islamist political party. I’d say, let the sceptics be! It’s dumbing down to say environmentalism doesn’t exist in Islam. Muslim environmentalists have often cited the famous Quranic directive, “Do not commit abuse on the Earth, spreading corruption”. According to Odeh Rashid al-Jayyousi, author of Islam and Sustainable Development, Islam views humans as trustees and guardians of the natural environment.

The next general election is a long way to go. This places Tuan Ibrahim in the spot-on position to prove many wrong. It gives him the perfect opportunity to step up to the plate and reveal the appropriate religious texts found in the Quran and hadith that recount the importance of environmental protection. He has two years to prove that the environment is also principal on PAS’ agenda. There is a multitude of environmental issues close to heart of the public right now. Deforestation, development of forest reserves, dumping of wastes in rivers and waterways, plastic pollution… just to mention a few. The environment minister should seize this opportunity to garner support from urban youth who are passionate about issues affecting our environment locally, as well as globally, like climate change. No doubt he still has a mountain to climb. But to win the hearts and minds of young voters before the 15^th general election is crucial for the PN government.

There are numerous issues threatening varying types of environmental disasters in recent times. It’s tempting to predict the possibility of these disasters happening within the next few years are high. The environment minister needs to instil a sense of hope and optimism in curbing these disasters. At the same time, citizens need to understand the role of humans in striking a balance between economic development and a healthy environment.

It’s of utmost importance our new environment minister keeps the main thing the main thing. His first and foremost main thing is to promote and expand environmental literacy. The ultimate goal here is to nurture everyone’s appreciation of the natural world. Environmental literacy seeks to change human behaviour so that humanity can create a sustainable and environment-friendly quality of life. It helps develop and expand critical thinking skills on issues pertaining to the environment. People need a wide range of knowledge and skills that can help them understand, assess and use environmental information. It prepares them for environmentally conscious citizenship.

Environmental literacy is all about education. The Environment Ministry ought to inspire, motivate and support young people in raising environmental issues through a variety of means. These include youth meetings, conferences, forums, leadership training and outreach campaigns. Initiate dynamic programmes to educate people about the environment and its relevance to human health and sustainable development. It’s imperative that the public learn and understand how their actions and lifestyle intersect with the environment.

Today’s children will one day be responsible for making decisions that will shape our future. Striking a balance between the health of the environment and economic development hold the key to our sustainable future. The earlier children begin to learn about sound stewardship principles of their environment, the better it is for them, their families and society. We need to prepare them for such responsibilities. Everyone needs an all-encompassing environmental education as a foundation upon which to make those decisions.

In Malaysia, one of the most challenging aspects in promoting environmental literacy is the perceived notion that the environment is all about science. Malaysians need to understand that knowing and caring for the environment is not all about science. It’s not that complex a concept. They should be educated about the links between common environmental exposure and human health. Lay people and students should know that everything they do has an impact on the environment. Make them understand that all human action has environmental consequences. Often, these consequences are negative, and together, we must address them.

At the school level, environmental concepts can be incorporated into a variety of subject areas. They need to be integrated into many non-science areas, such as geography, language, art, history, civics and communications. It’s time to connect the dots. Where have we failed in environmental education? Environmental literacy initiatives must seek to educate rather than proselytise to schoolchildren and citizens about the many benefits for society. People can relate more to issues that impact themselves and their loved ones. Environmental literacy, therefore, can only be truly successful when it makes the connection between our health and the environment.

Having said that, it is also important to educate children about appreciating and understanding the environmental dynamics at play in the world around them. This involves showing them how natural ecosystems, along with their living and non-living components, are important to humanity. For instance, they need to understand the importance of protecting our flora and fauna while we are experiencing the loss of biodiversity at unprecedented rates. What are the ramifications of this loss of biodiversity? Everyone needs to appreciate the fact that protecting the environment is not anti-development. We can conserve the environment and protect wildlife and their habitats while still taking into account the human need for economic progress and survival. This cannot be overemphasised in a time when many children spend, on average 90% of their time indoors instead of learning and enjoying hands-on experience in the natural environment.

Literacy is a never-ending process. Like any form of education, environmental literacy must never stop, and it has to be promoted and encouraged at all levels and sectors. It must be pursued through a multipronged approach that reaches out not only to teachers, parents and students but also to politicians, community leaders, industry leaders and all workplaces.

Hence, the appointment of a PAS representative is far from doom and gloom but a positive one. I am more than disposed to be positive and buoyant. I’m filled with a sense of hope and optimism of the role Tuan Ibrahim can play in conserving and improving our environment. As the world’s fastest-growing religion, Islam can play an important role in the environmental movement. An oft-quoted message from the Quran, “Like a mirror, nature reflects the power, beauty, wisdom, and mercy of its creator”, clearly points towards this. There appears to be no demarcation between what the Quran reveals and what nature manifests as cited: “Nature is seen as a balanced, just, peaceful, unified pattern created and sustained by God.” It has been argued that nature and humans have the same creator and this oneness instils a sense of empathy and reason for humans to take care of nature.

In compliance with Islamic teaching, it has become our personal and spiritual obligation to curb the spread of environmental degradation because Islam encompasses not only humanity but also nature. Other mainstream religions in Malaysia are not spared from playing this far-reaching environmental role. Besides Islam, other mainstream religions in Malaysia -Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism- have likewise found a place and reasons for environmentalism to flourish. They all give due emphasis on the spiritual duty to care for the temporal. Religious communities play an important role in shaping attitudes, opinions and behaviours for the management and use of the environment, natural resources and sustainable development.  Hence, the discourse of all imams, pastors and other religious leaders is key. They need to build their capacity to deliver green messages, foster conservation, minimise waste and promote respect for nature and the environment.

When then US president Bill Clinton came to power, one of the first policy documents he released in 1994 was Science in the National Interest. It details the Clinton administration’s commitment to fundamental science. It reflects the efforts and contributions of a diverse group of individuals drawn from academia, industry, professional societies and associations. The document sets five main goals for US science policy:

• Maintain leadership across the frontiers of scientific knowledge
• Enhance connections between fundamental research and national goals
• Stimulate partnerships that promote investments in fundamental science and engineering and effective use of physical, human and financial resources
• Produce the finest scientists and engineers for the 21^st century
• Raise the scientific and technological literacy of all Americans

Perhaps Tuan Ibrahim can take a leaf out of Clinton’s book, specifically pertaining to the fifth goal in the list above. Instead of “Raise the scientific and technological literacy of all Americans”, it would be “Raise the environmental literacy of all Malaysians”.

* Dr Ghazally Ismail is a retired vice-chancellor and academic.