From left: Junaid Kamal Ahmad of World Bank, Abdo Razzaz Saleh Khalid, Yemen’s Minister of Water and Environment, Rachel Kyte of World Bank and Robert B of World Bank at a press conference at Qatar National Convention Center yesterday. (Shaival Dalal)
DOHA: The impact of climate change will be acute in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region; and immediate action will be needed to avoid the projected consequences of worsening water shortages and rising food insecurity, according to the World Bank Group.
Addressing the media on the sidelines of the COP18/CMP8 here yesterday, Rachel Kyte, World Bank Vice-President for Sustainable Development, called for concerted e action on multiple levels to reduce the region’s vulnerability to climate change. Political leadership now will be critical in establishing climate change as a national and regional priority.
The Arab world has been adapting to climate change for centuries. There is a long history and tradition of coping with the associated challenges, such as changes in temperature and rainfall. New climate change risks are emerging at a much faster rate, including the prospect of a world that is four degrees hotter, and resilience built up over years is being severely tested.
These risks have been identified and assessed in the new climate report which was prepared in partnership with the League of Arab States, involving specialists, researchers, policy-makers and civil society organisations from across the region. The report reinforces the warning that decades of poverty reduction efforts could be reversed as contained in the recent World Bank publication, she said.
Citing the report Rachel said climate disasters have affected 50 million people in the Arab world over the past 30 years, costing about $12bn directly and many multiples of that indirectly. Recent trends suggest that dry regions are becoming drier and flash floods have become more frequent.
Globally, 2010 was the warmest year since records began in the 1800s, and of the 19 countries that set new record temperatures, five were in Mena. Regional temperatures are projected to reach new record highs, coupled with less rainfall which, in a region with the world’s lowest endowment of freshwater, could make this precious natural resource even scarcer.
A harsher climate threatens livelihoods throughout the region. Extreme weather could affect both the annual $50 bn tourism industry and agriculture, already under severe climate stress. The combination of higher temperatures, lower rainfall and increased frequency of drought could cause more
The report stresses that adaptation should be integrated into all national policies and actions to ensure they are climate resilient. This spans efforts from collecting climate data to strengthening basic services.
Accurate weather information is critical for preparing for extreme events. Improved access to services such as education, health and sanitation, along with effective social safety nets to compensate for sudden loss of livelihood, will give citizens the skills and resources to navigate climate challenges.
The World Bank Group is currently engaged across the region in supporting countries and communities in coping with the effects of a changing climate.
A project in Morocco is financing the integration of adaptation measures into the national agriculture strategy, while in Yemen more effective land management is being promoted, along with research into drought resistant crops. The sustainable development, increasing social and economic inclusion and improving governance are overarching goals of all Bank activities throughout the region.
The Peninsula
