Greening the Hajj

The annual Hajj pilgrimage culminated in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca this past weekend for the feast of Eid al-Adha. An estimated 2.5 million pilgrims made the pilgrimage to Mecca this year – 1.8 million from abroad and up to 800,000 from inside Saudi Arabia – presenting major security concerns for the government there, as it tries to ensure the safety of visitors moving from one site to another. This year religious and environmental groups were also raising environmental concerns, urging pilgrims to try and lower their carbon footprints as well. Dr Husna Ahmed is a Muslim consultant to the Alliance for Religions and Conservation and has just co-authored the first Green Hajj Guide….she spoke to Philippa Hitchen about her concerns..

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