Global Climate Change Issues: The Middle East

1
Global Climate Change Issues The Middle East

• Researched and compiled by Sami A. Habayeb, GEO
  109, Winter 2008

2
The Middle East
http//www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/MiddleEast
.asp
3
Problems in the Middle East

• Rise in Sea Surface Temperature
• Evidence through coral bleaching
• Rise in Global Temperature
• Its effects on NAO, and intensity of seasons
• Rise in Sea level
• Wipes out cities in Egypt (most cities),
  Tunisia, Qatar, Libya, UAE, and Kuwait.

4
Coral Bleaching

• Effects being seen in Aqaba, and east tip of Red
  Sea.
• Effects of coral bleaching of fish, and sea
  ecosystem.

5
Water Shortage

• More intense summers, and more intense winters.
• Increase in evaporation will reduce water
  supplies, and intensify rain seasons.
• Drought and the effect of surface run off on dams
  and cities.
• Inefficient use of water irrigation techniques
• The shortage of fresh water

6
Solution to Water Problems

• General solutions to water problems would be
  better water irrigation methods.
• Harvesting rain water.
• Increase in population means need to be more
  conservative with water supplies.
• Awareness to people.
• Waste water management.
• Desalination.

7
Conclusion

• Issues affecting Middle East
• Increase in sea level, and threat to cities
• Increase in season intensities, much hotter
  summers, and more aggressive winters
• Evaporation of water, its effect on water basins.
  And threat of famine that is related to water
  shortage.
• Methods of Conservation and awareness.
• Adapting to those changes

8
Sources

• Coral Beaching Picture http//www.stormcenter.com
  /media/envirocast/archive/060912/060912_07.jpg
• Coral bleaching Diagram http//www.gbrmpa.gov.au/
  __data/assets/image/0006/13749/Bleaching-and-morta
  lity-dia.gif
• Climate.org http//www.climate.org/2002/topics/cl
  imate/impacts_me.shtml
• IRIN http//www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId
  77062
• The world bank
• Papers
• Nature Increased seasonality in Middle East
  temperatures during the last interglacial period,
  Felis Thomas, march 2004
• Social Science Research Network Climate Change
  and Water Resources in the Middle East
  Vulnerability, Socio-Economic Impacts, and
  Adaptation, El-Faddel, Bou-Ziad, 2001