Judaism believes that the entire universe is the work of the Creator, and nature with all its splendor has been created for us, and it is therefore, wrong for us to spoil it. In Christianity, the need to take care of the natural environment is stated in Genesis 2:15. Halim and Akhir in their paper on Preservation of the Environment according to the Quran and the Analysis of Environmental Issues in Malaysia (2017), states that the environment is one of Allah’s blessings to human beings and He entrusted them with a role to preserve the environment so that the balance of this universe can be maintained. The statement reflects reference to the Quran and explains the importance of environmental preservation in Islam.

Hinduism emphasizes great importance to nature and the natural environment. The essence of the Hindu faith is deeply connected with nature. Hinduism considers the natural world sacred. Hindus believe the earth to be a goddess who nourishes and sustains all beings and people are required to treat the earth well. Rivers are held in high esteem. The Ganges River is referred to as “Maa Ganga” (Mother Ganga) and is believed to be a goddess that originates in heaven and flows down to earth giving both nourishment and purification.

Buddhism acknowledges interdependence of all forms of life and defines the need to live in harmony with nature. Buddhism’s deep connection with nature is unfolded in the life of the Buddha. The Buddha was born in the Lumbini Garden, carried out religious practices in the forest, attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and gave the first teaching at Deer Park. When the Buddha passed into Nirvana it happened between two Sal trees near Kusinagara.

In Bhutan, Buddhism plays an important role in the lives of the Bhutanese people and nature has always been a great source of inspiration. Dasho Karma Ura’s Book: Longchen’s Forests of Poetry and Rivers of Composition in Bhutan paints a lucid picture of nature through the eyes of Longchen Rabjam Drimé Özer (1308-1363), a great Tibetan Buddhist Master of the Nyingma tradition and a prolific writer who lived in Tharpaling for 10 years. The marvelous poetic description of landscapes around Bumthang and his portrayal of Tharpaling through the four seasons is simply stunning. Perhaps the irreplaceable beauty of nature inspired Longchen’s spiritual enrichment and voluminous writings that are treasured by Buddhist practitioners and scholars alike.

Buddhist wall paintings of the four harmonious friends and Tshering Dukar Photo: Aaron Gekoski/ WWF-US

The affinity of nature with the Bhutanese people goes back to the pre-Buddhist era. According to Dr Karma Phuntsho, a resident Bhutanese scholar and historian, Bhutan’s spiritual ecology has evolved with the changing times. From the pre-Buddhist belief and practice of nature worship and appeasement of spirits associated with different natural entities such as rocks, lakes and forests, to the advent of Buddhism in the 8th century, to the present-day Bhutan diffused with the influence of changing lifestyles and social media, Bhutan’s spiritual ecology is feeling the wind of change. Nevertheless, even as we see Bhutan stepping into the digital age with young people increasingly drawn to using digital appliances with ease, the spirit of Buddhism, old as it may seem, is still vibrant in the Bhutanese society. In Bhutan, there is a never changing congregation of men and women, both young and old, whenever Buddhist teachings are organized in any parts of the country. Monasteries witness trains of people queuing to offer butter lamps, incense and other offerings on auspicious days of the Buddhist calendar. While students visit monasteries and pilgrim sites to receive blessings and good luck for their annual exams, business folks venturing into new undertakings make offerings of butter lamps and other benefactions to ward off ill luck and mishap. It is obvious that no matter what changes emerge with growing development trends, faith is still strong in the mind and spirit of Bhutanese people.

There are many awe-inspiring environmental initiatives undertaken by faith organizations around the world. To name a few: The Monks Community Forest in the Oddar Meanchey province in Cambodia is a 18,300 hectares of legally protected evergreen forest in Cambodia and is the country's largest community-managed forest conservation site. Buddhist monks in Cambodia have ordained trees as monks to save forests.

Monks ordaining trees in Cambodia Photo: Chantal Elkin/ WWF-UK

The Daoists in China have created a chain of more than 200 ecological temples known as the Daoist Ecological Temples Network. The Network provides ecological education, facilitates message dissemination on wildlife, mercy release and vegetarian fasting, organizes youth camps and supports the adoption of ecological practices in Daoist temples across China.

During the annual Hajj in Mecca, it was discovered that over 42,000 tons of waste in the form of plastic bottles, food and clothing is produced. This contradicts the belief in Islam that 'The earth is green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you his stewards over it.’ The Muslim community has produced a guide to green the world’s largest pilgrimage, Hajj pilgrimage.

In March 2009, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa created Khoryug, a network of environmentally engaged monastic institutes and centers across India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Khoryug defines its work through the “environmental guidelines for Buddhist monasteries, centers and communities” booklet.

In March 2010, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche founded the Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative in Bhutan with the mission to build prosperous, resilient, ecologically sensitive and self-reliant communities that have the courage, initiative, and wisdom to take their future in their own hands; to achieve food self-sufficiency; to enhance opportunities for local youth; and to create a genuine GNH-based educational system locally.

As the wind of change sweeps across Bhutan, it is imperative that we do not alienate ourselves from the age-old values and wisdom embedded in our faith. It is the spirit of these beliefs and values that has configured our perception of nature and we must by all means keep it alive. One of the reasons why Bhutan still has a large portion of its natural landscapes in pristine condition can be attributed to the Buddhist faith. With changing trends in our aspirations and lifestyles, it is important that the ancient wisdom that has withstood the test of time continues to inspire human society. Great Buddhist masters remind us of the genuineness of our thought is what matters, not the attire and it is the intent that defines our actions. Where intent is pure actions are good. Some of the age-old practices and rituals that may seem ridiculous to the younger generation of Bhutanese still holds good if the quintessence of it is understood. It is perhaps important to understand why it is done rather than to see how it is done. Everything had a purpose then and that needs to be understood now.

One of the most fascinating stories on faith and conservation in Bhutan is the hunter to hermit story in Norbugang village of Nganglam, Pemagatshel. A certain community in Norbugang depended on hunting as supplementary source of livelihood. While this practice prevailed for generations, Khenpo (Abbot) Sonam Jamtsho of DhoNgag Tenpailing Monastery in Norbugang initiated conservation education and awareness raising program as part of his regular religious teachings. Through his amazing leadership, 20 poachers voluntarily stepped forward to abstain from hunting. The Khenpo acknowledged them for coming forward to refrain from their wrong actions and explained to them the significance of such an exemplary act. The vow taking ceremony was presided over by the Khenpo and local officials on the 9th International Tiger Day in 2018.

Khenpo Sonam Jamtsho with the hunter-turned-protectors of Norbugang village Photo: WWF-Bhutan

At WWF-Bhutan, the role of faith in promoting local stewardship is held in high esteem. One of the central pillars of our strategic plan (2025-2029) is built on the fabric of cultivating conservation stewardship. The misconstrued narrative that economic development and nature conservation are a trade-off needs proper comprehension. Environment conservation is fundamental to sustainable development and societal well-being. By fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the natural environment, WWF-Bhutan endeavors to cultivate conservation stewards from all sections of Bhutanese society to sustain our present and secure the future. Towards this end, a formal partnership was launched between the Central Monastic Body and WWF-Bhutan on 28 January 2025 to sow the seeds of behavioral change.
The influence of faith in human society has always been profound. Faith does not simply promulgate prayers, meditation, abstinence or renunciation. It has a wider application for the good of all beings. It is indeed evident that environmental stewardship has been a central tenet of all faith for eons. In modern times the role of faith in driving behavioral change for sustainable living and environmental wellbeing is more pertinent than ever before. Where there is faith there is will, and where there is will there is a way. Our collective effort to care for the environment should not come through law enforcement alone, it should be a choice we make, and faith will invariably reinforce that choice.