Indonesia Leads “Green Islam” Movement with Eco-Friendly Mosques

Indonesia Leads “Green Islam” Movement with Eco-Friendly Mosques
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Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, is emerging as a global leader in environmental innovation through its “Green Islam” initiative, which integrates faith with sustainability. The program promotes climate action and environmental protection, with a focus on building eco-friendly mosques made from recycled materials such as plastic and rice husks.

In West Java’s Garut district, residents are preparing to open two “twin” eco-mosques built using 12 tons of recycled plastic and 24 tons of rice husks—an effort expected to reduce waste and save thousands of trees. According to Irfan Amali, director of the Welas Asih School, the project also helped convert over 200 nearby homes into “zero-waste” households.

The initiative seeks to link Islamic values with environmental responsibility, encouraging mosques and schools to adopt recycling, energy-saving, and conservation practices. Environmental analyst Rahmat Nugroho said religious leaders’ credibility enables them to influence behavior more effectively than government campaigns.

Despite challenges such as funding and resistance from conservative groups, the movement continues to grow. Advocates hope Indonesia’s experience will inspire other Muslim nations to adopt similar faith-based sustainability models, positioning religion as a driving force in addressing global environmental challenges.