The Buddhist Declaration on Nature

A declaration regarding the conservation of nature from the point of view of Buddhism that emerged from the first inter-religious meeting on nature conservation in Assisi (Italy) in 1986, organized by WWF International. After the meeting statements from representatives of the world’s five major religions – Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism – were issued that addressed the issue of nature conservation from the point of view of faith.This statement notes that as long as there are negative actions towards nature, there will continue to be negative consequences as well. Human commitment motivated by a healthy and positive attitude is one of the main causes of happiness. In environmental protection, not only humans but also all living beings in this world should be taken into account because survival depends on it. In the past, people were aware of the need for harmony between humans and nature, and worshipped and believed that many spirits and forces were inactive in rivers, mountains, lakes and trees. Any harm done to any of these natural elements will lead to drought, epidemic and disease in humans and to a loss of soil fertility. The restoration of an environmental balance is necessary and needs to be implemented with courage and determination.