Hajj Begins in Extreme Heat as Millions Gather in Mecca | DW News
Why It Matters
The convergence of rising temperatures and mass gatherings creates acute public-health and logistical risks for millions of pilgrims and strains emergency planning and infrastructure, while underscoring the global need to cut emissions to avoid increasingly deadly climate impacts. Effective mitigation and adaptation decisions will shape the safety and character of one of the world’s largest religious events.
Summary
The annual Hajj has begun in Mecca with more than 1.5 million pilgrims gathering amid blistering heat, as daytime temperatures recently topped 44°C. Saudi authorities deployed cooling stations, air-conditioned prayer spaces and heightened security around the holy sites while advising hydration and shade. A new study warns climate change will make such extreme conditions more frequent and could push temperatures during future Hajj seasons beyond human physiological limits, projecting roughly 1.8–2.0°C warming under current emissions pathways. Researchers say shifting lunar timing means some future pilgrimages will coincide with even hotter periods, forcing difficult trade-offs between safety, ritual practice and large-scale adaptation.
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