With the world’s eyes on Copenhagen and India under pressure to reduce emissions, help came from unexpected quarters. Cutting across faiths, a group of religious leaders on Thursday exhorted their followers to plant trees. Burying their differences on issues such as the singing of Vande Mataram, Swami Yatindranand Giri and Maulana Mufti Arshad Farooqui of Deoband urged youngsters to plant saplings and join the fight against global warming.

Similar appeals came from Sikh guru Gyani Santa Singh and Father Jesu Amirtham.

The religious leaders gifted saplings of Jamun, Neem, Reetha, Amaltas and Arjun to students and teachers from 25 schools and urged them to nurture the saplings in school premises. They also called upon the youngsters to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Meerut-based NGO Saviours brought the religious leaders together as a part of its Trees of Faith campaign designed to fight climate change and global warming.

“Leaders of 40 countries would meet to discuss climate change in Copenhagen in December but I appeal to the masses to begin their efforts now,” said Giri.