Üsküdar University mobilizes for the environment!
Üsküdar University’s Environmental Ethics Platform has released a comprehensive report on June 5th, World Environment Day, drawing attention to plastic pollution. Prepared under the leadership of Prof. İbrahim Özdemir, Chair of the Environmental Ethics Platform, the report identifies plastic as a global threat and emphasizes the need for legal restrictions on single-use plastics.
As a contributing institution, Üsküdar University is making the international environmental declaration titled "Al-Mizan: A Covenant with the Earth" publicly available in digital format and free of charge.
Operating under the umbrella of Üsküdar University, the Environmental Ethics Platform prepared this special report as part of the June 5, 2025, World Environment Day activities. The report aims to increase public awareness and strengthen environmental responsibility. It highlights this year’s World Environment Day theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” and calls attention not only to environmental awareness but also to moral and theological responsibilities.
In this detailed document led by Prof. İbrahim Özdemir, topics such as plastic waste, environmentally friendly “green mosque” examples, the importance of recycling, environmental policies, and especially the growing issue of plastic waste imports in the Islamic world are thoroughly analyzed.
Plastic Pollution: A Global Threat
The report notes that global efforts are underway to reduce plastic use, citing that approximately 11 million tons of plastic waste enter aquatic ecosystems annually, and microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils. The estimated annual social and environmental cost of plastic pollution ranges from $300 to $600 billion.
The Plastic Problem in Muslim Countries
The report identifies increasing plastic consumption, inadequate recycling infrastructure, and low environmental awareness as major issues in many Muslim-majority countries. It specifically highlights the serious threat posed by river and marine pollution in countries like Türkiye, Indonesia, and Pakistan. According to data from TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye), pollution levels are notably high in Türkiye’s Sakarya, Gediz, Ergene, and Menderes rivers.
Legal Restrictions on Single-Use Plastics Urged
The report also emphasizes Islamic teachings on the environment, noting that wastefulness (israf) is forbidden, that the Quran defines harming the environment as fasad (corruption), and that the Prophet Muhammad’s simple lifestyle and respect for nature should serve as an example. Among the proposed solutions are: addressing environmental issues in Friday sermons at mosques, encouraging Islamic foundations and NGOs to develop recycling projects, launching education and media campaigns to raise awareness, and enacting legal restrictions on single-use plastics.
Plastic Waste Imports
The report reveals that following China’s 2018 ban on plastic waste imports, many Western countries have redirected their plastic waste to Muslim-majority countries such as Türkiye, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It also points out that only 9% of the 370 million tons of plastic waste produced annually is actually recycled. Türkiye is identified as one of the main importers of plastic waste from countries like Germany and the UK, which experts view as both an environmental vulnerability and an ethical issue.
The report provides detailed data on the environmental consequences and inadequate recycling capacities associated with plastic waste imports in Türkiye, Malaysia, and Indonesia. According to Greenpeace research, imported waste in Türkiye has been illegally dumped near the Seyhan River and the Mediterranean. In 2021 alone, 241 truckloads of plastic waste entered Türkiye daily from Europe. Similar issues are noted in Malaysia and Indonesia, where non-recyclable plastics are irresponsibly discarded in nature, which is exacerbated by illegal trade, political weaknesses, and corruption. The report calls for more effective oversight of plastic imports, wider engagement by civil society in environmental activism, and greater emphasis on Islamic environmental ethics.
“Al-Mizan: A Covenant with the Earth” Now Publicly Accessible
Üsküdar University is taking meaningful action for World Environment Day on June 5, 2025, by making “Al-Mizan: A Covenant with the Earth”, which is an international environmental declaration in which it is a contributor, available to the public in digital format free of charge.
Prepared under the leadership of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this powerful document connects Islamic environmental ethics with today's ecological crises. It serves as a guide not only for Muslims but for anyone seeking to live in harmony with nature.
Üsküdar University has published the work in PDF format and made it freely accessible. Interested readers can access the document at: https://uuyayinlari.com/mizan-dunya-ile-bir-sozlesme
Zero Plastic Goal
In line with its “Zero Plastic” target, Üsküdar University took a major step toward its “Green University” vision by eliminating the use of single-use plastic cups three years ago.
“Green Mosque Project” Launched
The university also launched the “Green Mosque Project” in collaboration with the İslam Toplumu Millî Görüş (IGMG), aiming for a mosque-centered societal transformation. Led by Prof. İbrahim Özdemir, the project envisions mosques not only as places of worship but also as hubs for environmental education and solidarity. It promotes carbon-neutral living guides and seeks to improve the energy efficiency of mosque buildings.
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)