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Climate Change in the Middle East Caused By Global Warming
The Middle East mostly experiences high temperatures and it has a scarcity of water. Therefore, any further increases are bound to worsen the situation. The region has already begun experiencing the effects of global warming. The region is a main producer of crude oil and most industries depend on fossil fuels. Many countries are topmost greenhouse gas emitters per capita. This includes countries such as Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (Todorova). The burning of fossil fuels increases the rates of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The presence of carbon dioxide combined with other pollutants in the atmosphere acts like a blanket and they trap heat from the sun. This means that the earth becomes hotter. In addition, the trapped heat is not able to escape.
There is already a decrease in the rainfall received, which is an indication of changing climate. Precipitation is also low and this poses a major threat to water security in the region. Other than rainfall, the region also depends on groundwater as one of its main water source. Some of the areas experience snow and once it melts, it becomes a main source of ground and surface water. The amount of snowfall in the recent past has reduced considerably. The region is also experiencing higher temperatures. Temperatures in the Middle East have increased 50% faster than other regions around the world. The summers have started becoming hotter than is usually the case (Maden).
Other than the environmental consequences, climate change can affect a region’s economic and political stability as well. The current high temperatures experienced in some of the regions in the Middle East has caused drought in some areas. Farmers depend on good weather conditions for their farms to be productive. Therefore, the presence of drought has caused a lot of suffering and it has forced people to move from their rural homes to the cities. This has led to overcrowding and pressure in the cities. It has also fuelled the tension and conflicts experienced between different groups because of scarcity of resources. For instance, the drought experienced in Syria between 2006 and 2010 forced the people to move to the cities and this led to overcrowding (Nathan). The government’s failure to respond to the situation frustrated many people and this caused resentment among different groups.
The solution to
changing the global warming problem would be to take measures that would lead
to a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants in the
atmosphere. This would involve reducing the use of fossil fuels drastically and
adopting greener energy solutions. Already, this presents a pressing problem in
the region as most of the countries produce oil from fossil fuels and they
depend on them as their main sources of energy. However, the region has other
natural resources, which it can take advantage of to get renewable sources of
energy. There are high temperatures in the region and this is conducive for
solar energy production. Governments in some areas such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have already shown
their desire to adopt green energy (Todorova). With government support, it will
become easier to implement these solutions. It is also important to raise
awareness concerning the importance of reducing greenhouse gases and global
warming. Once the people learn about the consequences of global warming,
especially pertaining to climate change, they are more likely to support any
proposed measures aimed at reducing the use of fossil fuels.
Works Cited:
Maden, Tugba E. “Climate Change and Drought in the Middle East.” Daily Sabah. 18 Apr. 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2015
Nathan, David E. Thomas Friedman ’75, H’88: Role of Climate Change Overlooked In Middle East Turmoil. 2 Mar. 2015. Web. 27 Mar. 2015
Todorova, Vesela. “World Renewable-Energy Agency to Focus on Helping UAE Hit Target.” The National. 8 Dec. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2015