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They stressed the importance of preventing a wider escalation of the conflict, which threatens to further endanger peace and stability in the region
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Waterfront Projects at Risk due to Rapid Rise in Sea Levels: UN
DUBAI — Infrastructural developments along coastal areas may be at risk due to the rapid rise in sea levels in the Middle East region, according to a United Nations expert.
Margereta Wahlstrom, UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Geneva said that rising sea levels and water scarcity are among the top climatic concerns for the Middle East region.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference (DIHAD), she said that low lying areas, threatened by the sea delta in countries such as Egypt, Morocco and Tunis, may be heading for a disaster due to rise in sea levels caused by climatic change.
She said that expert engineering skills could help the infrastructure remain intact since shifting it in its entirety was a costly option.
UNISDR will launch the first report on disaster risk reality in the Middle East and North Africa drawn from the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Reduction in Bahrain on May 17.
The report is the first of its kind in the region and will be published in Arabic. It will explore the effect of urbanisation on climate, the eco system and environmental risks in the region. It will also look at convergence between poverty and disaster risks.
The Middle East is highly prone to earthquakes, storms, droughts and water shortages.
“Following the devastating tsunami, the cyclone Gonu in Oman in 2007 was a wakeup call for the region,” said Wahlstrom.
Over the last 28 years, approximately 37 million people in the Arab region have been affected by droughts, floods and storms while Arab economies have lost some $19 billion in the same period.
“Since cyclic droughts are already affecting Iraq, Oman, Bahrain and Morocco, water management should be given top priority in the region. It is a scarce and expensive commodity that is not renewable forever,” she said.
While it is only less than two years since regional governments have started paying attention to climatic changes, the response is rapid. Climatic risks have been assessed and key regional policies have been forged in the region to manage any impending disaster.
Wahlstrom said that setting up of legal frameworks could lead to a sustainable future. “The Gulf region has resources, wealth and political determination; therefore, I think this region can play a major role in sustaining natural resources.”
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com
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