Impact of Climate Change on Arab Countries - (IPCC) - Working ...

ARAB ENVIRONMENT: CLIMATE CHANGE 61
FIGURE 15
PERCENTAGE INCREASE OF SURGE REGIONS MENA
% Increase
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Egypt
Algeria
Libya
Morocco
Iran
Qatar
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Oman
Yemen
Kuwait
Source: Dasgupta et al., 2009
• Establishing an institutional system for risk
reduction for integrating and coordinating
research and carrying out training on the
national and regional scales.
• Establishing strong monitoring systems for
coastal zone indicators and law enforcement.
Developing a database for national and regional
indicators <strong>of</strong> climate change
• Developing a Regional Circulation Model
(RCM) for the impact <strong>of</strong> climate change on
MENA countries and the Red Sea. Building
capacities and reducing uncertainties <strong>of</strong> predictions
• Adopting an integrated coastal zone
management approach to protect coastal
resources with special reference to expectations
<strong>of</strong> future severities and increasing frequencies
<strong>of</strong> extreme events
• Adopting a proactive planning approach and
developing policies and adaptation programs
for no regret planning, protection <strong>of</strong> the low
land areas in the coastal region and coastal
cities in the Nile Delta, Tunisia, Mauritania
and Gulf region, exchanging experiences and
success stories.
• Upgrading awareness <strong>of</strong> decision makers on
strategic aspects and developing employment
opportunities for vulnerable groups.
VII. CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter has shown that the coastal areas in
the Arab region are highly vulnerable to the
potential impacts <strong>of</strong> climate change. Proactive
action needs to be taken, both in terms <strong>of</strong>
expanding knowledge and cooperation, and
implementing mitigation and adaptation policies.
The main conclusions and recommendations
are listed below:
• Although all <strong>of</strong> the Arab countries do not contribute
more than 4.5% to the total emissions
<strong>of</strong> GHGs, the coastal zones <strong>of</strong> most <strong>of</strong> them
are highly vulnerable to the potential impacts
<strong>of</strong> sea level rise and the expected increased
severity and frequency <strong>of</strong> extreme events.
• Even though some <strong>of</strong> the Arab countries have
established institutional capabilities for the
mitigation <strong>of</strong> greenhouse gas emissions, none
has established such systems for adaptation
and self protection.
• Excluding Tunisia and Morocco, no integrated
national strategic action plans have been
established for the vulnerable countries.
• A strategic assessment and risk reduction <strong>of</strong>
climate change impacts must be carried out as
a joint effort through the League <strong>of</strong> Arab
States.
• An early warning system <strong>of</strong> tsunamis for the
Mediterranean and the Gulf regions must be
established through satellite systems.
• Proactive planning and protection policies
and measures should be initiated for vulnerable
sectors with particular emphasis on the
coastal zone.