Interfaith environmental perspectives and religious harmony in Singapore - towards better inter-religious understanding and management.

Abstract

Religions are taking on an increasingly influential role in driving the environmental movement and shaping public policy in the world. However, little research has been done in Singapore to determine the extent to which environmental concerns affect state-religion relations in the public sphere despite the nation-state being home to a multitude of faiths. This quantitative study therefore seeks to address this gap by examining the environmental-related perspectives and behaviors of six key religions in Singapore, namely the Buddhist, Catholic, Hindu, Islam, Protestant and Taoist faiths to determine potential areas of conflict between the state and religious groups with reference to environmental concerns.