Stewardship
The responsibility to care for creation arises from recognising that the Earth is not meant for exploitation but rather for protecting future generations.
A Sacred Interconnection
Wholeness, Faith, and Planetary Health
Every faith tradition views life as interconnected, woven together in a delicate balance of body, mind, spirit, and environment. This embodies a holistic approach to wholeness that acknowledges and addresses the intertwined dimensions of a person’s existence. It involves meeting their mental, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs to foster a balanced and flourishing life. This concept highlights that a genuinely whole person can thrive only when all these dimensions are nurtured harmoniously, recognising the inherent dignity and worth of every human being.
This concept of wholeness extends beyond the individual; it encompasses communities, ecosystems, and the entire planet. Just as one person’s well-being relies on the harmony of their body and soul, our planet’s health depends on the balance between humanity and nature.
Restoring a Broken Equilibrium
We live in an era of profound divisions. The climate crisis, environmental degradation, geopolitical tensions, polarization, social inequalities, and economic instability expose a world that has lost its equilibrium.
Once abundant and nurturing, the Earth now struggles under the burden of deforestation, pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Meanwhile, our human systems—governance, economies, and societies—often fail to protect the most vulnerable, worsening the disconnect between people and one another, as well as the planet.
Yet, faith, spirituality, and Indigenous wisdom transcend cultures and traditions, reminding us that healing is possible. Wholeness is not merely an abstract ideal; it is an ongoing process of renewal, mending what has been broken. Just as faith communities have long served as sources of healing for individuals and societies, they can also act as powerful forces in restoring Planetary Health.
Restoring Wholeness
The Role of Faith and Spirituality
Faith traditions teach us that true well-being is holistic; it involves internal and external healing, encompassing not only the absence of disease or disaster but also the presence of balance, justice, and respect for all life.
These traditions emphasize the value of:
Compassion and Justice
A moral obligation to care for and advocate for everyone, especially the most vulnerable, including those disproportionately affected by climate change: marginalized communities, Indigenous Peoples, and future generations.
Interconnectedness
Understanding that all life is interwoven; harming the Earth ultimately harms us, and healing the planet is an act of healing humanity.
Sacred Balance
The recognition of balance within the life cycle—of respecting the Earth's natural rhythms, the wisdom of ancestors, and the spiritual significance of nature.
Wholeness as a Pathway to Planetary Health
The field of Planetary Health takes an integrated approach that recognizes the profound connection between human health, environmental stability, and social well-being. It accepts that climate change – and other environmental change – is not only an ecological issue but also a human, spiritual, and justice issue.
By embracing Planetary Health through the lens of faith and wholeness, we affirm:
- That spiritual and Indigenous wisdom are vital partners to science in addressing ecological crises.
- That faith communities are essential in transforming policies, practices, and behaviors toward sustainability.
- That a healthy planet requires justice, equity, and deep care for all life forms—not just for human survival, but for the flourishing of all creation.
The Sunway Charter
The Sunway Charter – Faith in Action: Addressing Planetary Health Challenges through Spiritual Leadership is a collective call to action, bringing together faith communities, spiritual traditions, Indigenous wisdom, and scientific knowledge to address our time’s urgent environmental and climate crises. Conceptualized at the 2024 Planetary Health Summit (PHAM 2024), the Charter represents a unified commitment to healing our planet by integrating faith-inspired ecological stewardship, ethical responsibility, and community-led action.
Let us stand united in faith, hope, and action—for the well-being of our planet and future generations.
Now is the time to act—not just for ourselves, but for all beings, seen and unseen, now and yet to come.
Join us in restoring wholeness—for the Earth, for humanity, for the generations that follow.