BAKU, Azerbaijan — Delegates from the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) explored how the principle of humanity’s oneness, along with new approaches to consultation and decision-making are essential to addressing the climate crisis more effectively.

In reflections shared with the Bahá’í World News Service following the conference, Daniel Perell of the BIC’s New York Office observed: “A climate governance framework negotiated through norms of division and opposition undermines the collaboration and unity humanity needs to address the planetary nature of the crisis.

“The current system of international cooperation, often characterized by competing interests and predetermined positions, has not generated the transformative changes required at this moment in history.”

Mr. Perell added. “Only through recognizing our fundamental interconnectedness can we move beyond these limitations.”

In the contributions to discussions at COP29, BIC representatives explored how Bahá’í efforts in social action could inform global climate efforts, including those initiatives that promote environmental stewardship.

The BIC representatives shared experiences from communities in Colombia and Vanuatu where environmental initiatives emerged through processes that recognized the knowledge, wisdom, and capabilities of local populations.

These experiences, explained the BIC representatives, were guided by spiritual principles such as the harmony between science and religion and the concept of capacity building at all levels of society, which views people, communities, and institutions as protagonists in charting their own path of development.

“What the worldwide Bahá’í community is learning about is how local communities can develop their abilities to identify challenges, analyze circumstances, consult on solutions, and take collective action,” Mr. Perell explained.

“When people are empowered to address challenges in their own surroundings through these processes, the outcomes are more lasting and meaningful than when changes are imposed from outside.”

During the conference, these themes resonated with other participants seeking new approaches to climate action. Speaking at a BIC event at the conference’s Faith Pavilion, María Fernanda Espinosa, former president of the UN General Assembly, emphasized how faith-based perspectives could help address what she called a “hope deficit” in climate discussions.

“The fear of what is happening, the sense of loss and risk” was a source of concern in the COP29 discussions, she observed. However, Ms. Espinosa noted that approaching these challenges through the lens of “human responsibility and working for the common good” could help transform how humanity approaches global governance.

Speaking to the News Service after the conference, Ramazan Asgarli, a member of the BIC delegation from Azerbaijan, reflected on how the conference revealed humanity’s growing awareness of its interconnectedness. “These forums represent an important space where the world comes together to address our common future,” he noted.

“The mounting environmental challenges are gradually awakening humanity to the reality of its essential oneness—a recognition that will be vital for developing approaches equal to the planetary scale of these issues.”

Drawing on experiences from Bahá’í community-building activities worldwide, Cecilia Schirmeister, another BIC representative at COP29, observed how effective initiatives emerge when people begin to see their identity as inseparable from the wellbeing of the whole community.

“When young people see the needs of the community as their own responsibility, it creates a sense of collective ownership over changing one’s reality,” she said. “This builds confidence that individuals can make meaningful change, which then motivates action.”

This understanding of collective responsibility and shared ownership reflects a broader vision of how communities can address challenges together. Rather than relying on external intervention or adversarial processes, such an approach emphasizes genuine consultation and unified action.

Mr. Perell stated: “True universal participation goes beyond simply having different voices present.

“It requires creating spaces where people can genuinely learn from each other, remain open to new insights, and work together to understand complex realities. The problems we face are global, so our solutions must integrate diverse perspectives and experiences.”

The BIC’s participation at COP29 represented one aspect of its ongoing contribution to the discourse on environmental sustainability and global governance, offering insights drawn from the Bahá’í community’s experience in fostering patterns of collective action that can address the challenges facing humanity.