Religion and Climate Change: Climate Politics in the Gulf: An In- depth Analysis of the Role of Religion in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

An increasing amount of research emphasizes the significance of religion in addressing and tackling climate change. However, there is a gap in research on Muslim communities’ engagement with climate change. Even though Muslims are the second-largest faith group, most of the Muslim population is exposed to climate change due to their concentration on those regions that are affected mostly. This master thesis synthesizes existing research on climate change and Muslim communities, mainly focusing on Saudi Arabia. It addresses (a) the greening of religion thesis, emphasizing its relevance and impact in the contemporary world, (b) the historical and contemporary roles of Islamic principles and teachings in shaping climate politics and environmental policies, (c) religious leaders, institutions, and texts influence governmental decision-making processes related to climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The thesis asks how religion influences climate politics and policy formulation in Saudi Arabia. So far, there is a piece of evidence that the Saudi government uses religious leaders to get approval on their political issues, such as the military base of the US on the territory of the Kingdom through a fatwa. The Saudi government's priority is economic growth rather than sustainable development. However, there is little chance that political Islam is related to Islamic environmentalism since it is a relatively new and growing field. There is a need for empirical data and research on how Saudi citizens perceive climate change and its relations to Islam.

An increasing amount of research emphasizes the significance of religion in addressing and tackling climate change. However, there is a gap in research on Muslim communities’ engagement with climate change. Even though Muslims are the second-largest faith group, most of the Muslim population is exposed to climate change due to their concentration on those regions that are affected mostly. This master thesis synthesizes existing research on climate change and Muslim communities, mainly focusing on Saudi Arabia. It addresses (a) the greening of religion thesis, emphasizing its relevance and impact in the contemporary world, (b) the historical and contemporary roles of Islamic principles and teachings in shaping climate politics and environmental policies, (c) religious leaders, institutions, and texts influence governmental decision-making processes related to climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The thesis asks how religion influences climate politics and policy formulation in Saudi Arabia. So far, there is a piece of evidence that the Saudi government uses religious leaders to get approval on their political issues, such as the military base of the US on the territory of the Kingdom through a fatwa. The Saudi government's priority is economic growth rather than sustainable development. However, there is little chance that political Islam is related to Islamic environmentalism since it is a relatively new and growing field. There is a need for empirical data and research on how Saudi citizens perceive climate change and its relations to Islam.