Mideast nations wake up to need for action to stem damage from climate change

 Temperatures in the Middle East have risen much faster than the world average over the last three decades. Rainfall is declining, and experts predict that droughts will be more frequent and severe. 

 The Middle East is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the effects of climate change, and  the effects have already been seen. 

 In Iraq this year, heavy sandstorms repeatedly choked cities, paralyzed trade and sent thousands to hospitals. Elevated soil salinity in the Nile Delta of Egypt is eroding important agricultural land. In Afghanistan, drought contributes to young people migrating from villages in search of work. Over the last few weeks, temperatures have exceeded 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in some parts of the region. 

 This year's UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP27, took place in Egypt in November, shining a spotlight on the region. Governments in the Middle East are aware of the dangers of climate change, especially the damage that climate change has already done to the economy. 

 "We are literally feeling the influence in front of us. ... these effects will not affect us within 9 or 10 years. " 

 "We are beginning to understand that more and more states need to act," she said. 

 Egypt, Morocco, and other countries in the region are stepping up their clean energy initiatives. However, one of their top priorities at COP27 is to promote more international funding to address the dangers  already faced by climate change. 

 One of the reasons the Middle East is vulnerable is that as temperature rises accelerate, there is  no room to mitigate the blow to millions of people. The area is already hot and has  limited water resources under normal circumstances. The 4,444 governments in the Middle East  also have  limited adaptability, the International Monetary Fund found in a report earlier this year. The economy and infrastructure are weak and regulations are often not enforced. Job creation takes precedence over climate protection because poverty is widespread. 

 At the same time, developing countries are putting pressure on the Middle East and other countries  to reduce emissions, even though they themselves are putting off their promises. 

 The threat is bad. 

 As the region gets hotter and drier, the United Nations warns that  crop production in the Middle East could decline by 30 percent by 2025. The World Bank estimates that the region will lose 6-14 percent of GDP by 2050 due to water shortages. According to the World Bank, precipitation in Egypt has fallen by 22% over the last three decades. The 

 drought is expected to be more frequent and severe. According to NASA, the eastern Mediterranean has recently experienced the worst drought in 900 years. This has hit countries such as Syria and Lebanon, where agriculture depends on rain. Water demand in Jordan and the Gulf countries puts unsustainable pressure

Read more: https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2022/07/25/Mideast-nations-wake-up-to-need-for-action-to-stem-damage-from-climate-change