UAE | Environment
Climate change 'will hit coastlines soon'
Coastlines across the region will suffer due to climate change in the next 50 to 100 years if countries do not make the most of the incentives on offer to oil-producing countries by the United Nations to bring down their carbon emissions.
- By Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 March 5, 2007
- Image Credit: Gulf News
- If water levels rise, biodiversity on land and in the sea in the Gulf will be affected, says Mohammad Raouf of Gulf Research Centre.
Dubai: Coastlines across the region will suffer due to climate change in the next 50 to 100 years if countries do not make the most of the incentives on offer to oil-producing countries by the United Nations to bring down their carbon emissions.
Man-made islands here and abroad will disappear with Bahrain potentially losing up to 15 kilometres of coastline if sea levels rise as has been predicted by scientists, according to a senior environment researcher based in Dubai.
"Global warming is a direct effect of human activity. What we still have doubts on is the consequences of global warming but we are aware that it will have catastrophic and negative impacts," said Mohammad Raouf from the Gulf Research Centre.
According to findings released by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), global warming could lead to sea levels rising between 18 and 59 centimetres in 100 years, and the global temperature could climb to an extra 1.8 to four degrees Celsius.
To combat climate change the UAE could be making the most of the incentives given to oil-producing countries to bring down their carbon emissions, by UNFCCC.
"Oil-producing countries will have a specific fund to explore other energy resources but nobody in GCC is benefiting from this," said Raouf.
Clean development mechanisms have not been put to use yet in the UAE although interest is on the rise with planned solar power projects in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE could also get involved in trading in emissions, which is one method which allows countries to compensate for the pollution in their country by partnering up with other countries or funding projects abroad, said Raouf.
"If the global temperature along the equator goes up one degree it could go up 12 degrees in the poles and melt the ice. In the Gulf if water levels rise biodiversity on land and in the sea will be affected and destroyed," said Raouf.
"Artificial islands will disappear and mangroves or corals could die. The fishing industry will be greatly affected and have a huge social impact where people will lose their jobs," said Raouf.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran are in the top 50 countries in carbon emission. Iran ranks 18th, Saudi Arabia 22nd and the UAE is 43rd.
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