BRUSSELS — Islam is an important part of today's Europe and Muslims are playing an important role in developing their European societies, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has said.

"Islam today is part of Europe. One should not see Islam as outside Europe," Barroso told a high-ranking EU interfaith forum in Brussels on Monday, according to the EUobserver news website.

"We already have an important presence of Islam and Muslims among our citizens."

Barroso urged twenty Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious leaders invited to the seminar to enhance cross-culture understanding and coexistence in Europe.

He stressed that interfaith dialogue has proved that the "preachers of a clash of civilizations are wrong."

Some estimate there are between 15-20 million Muslims in Western Europe, up to five percent of the region's total population, although Muslim groups put the figure much higher.

Islam, the world's second biggest religion after Christianity, is widely seen as Europe's fastest growing faith. The number of Muslims in Europe is projected to double by 2025 or sooner.

Bosnia-Herzegovina Grand Mufti Mustafa Ceric urged the EU to translate words into actions.

"Following this logic, Europe has to prove that Islam is part of Europe by not delaying the acceptance of Turkey to the EU," he told the form.

Turkey was made an official candidate to join the EU in October 2005 but its long quest to join the 27-country club has been dogged by problems.

Some are reluctant to bring Muslim-majority Turkey into a Europe they insist has its roots deep in Christianity.

• Religion for Environment

Barroso urged the twenty Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious leaders invited to Monday's seminar to help promote awareness about climate change and encourage environmentally-friendly societies.

"Thanks to their moral authority, their outreach and their structure, they are well placed to make a valuable contribution, mobilizing our societies for a sustainable future."

Slovenian Premier Janez Jansa, the current president of the European Council who co-chaired the seminar, agreed.

"Earth was created and given to man, and man has to be respectful of what he has been given," he said.

"The success in the fights against climate change relies to a great extent on changes in our habits, in our philosophies in our world outlook and the consumer society that has created superficial needs - needs that justify consumption."

Doing its share in fighting global warming, the South Woodford mosque and community center in north-east London is acting to become the first-ever carbon-free Muslim worship place.

Its annual carbon emissions have been calculated by the Tolerance International charity, which will help the mosque reduce its energy usage.

All of the carbon emissions produced through use of gas and electricity will be offset by planting trees in the Peruvian rainforest.