Covid-19 Middle East

Old tensions, new threats: Climate change in post-Covid-19 Middle East

written by Badis Khiari Millan

The Middle East is known to be a very climatically diverse region. It includes Mediterranean and alpine environments in the Levant, scattered tropical ecosystems in Yemen and Oman, and wetlands in the Arabian Gulf. However, the vast majority is desert and scrubland. Little rain? Scorching heat? These are the notorious climatic conditions of the Middle East. Whilst civilisation first flourished on the banks of the Euphrates and Tigris, climate change today threatens the very agricultural foundations of the region. Since the Industrial revolution, temperatures have been rising at increasingly alarming rates. In this region, this is particularly dangerous as the already daunting conditions are easily exacerbated.

Anthropogenic climate change and rising temperatures have worsened the already-challenging natural conditions of the Middle East, provoking a domino-effect in a positive feedback loop. Covid-19 has exposed these realities, while simultaneously aggravating them. It is known that rising temperatures increase water-scarcity and threaten both lives and living standards of Middle Eastern citizens. In the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, the perils of both physical and economic water scarcity have reared their ugly heads and amplified the impacts of water mismanagement and inequities. Physical water scarcity has long imperilled the desert peoples and restrained agriculture output. However, current unsustainable harvesting of groundwater, such as that in Ras Al Khaimah (UAE), is depleting aquifers and thus worsening the scarcity. This lack of water has critical implications for the effectiveness of the pandemic response efforts and further fuels post-Covid attempts to promote growth and build resilience. Although the issue of physical water scarcity has been successfully solved by the more developed Arab Gulf states i.e. KSA & Kuwait, the solutions came with their own problems. Through desalination plants that use reverse osmosis and other physical processes, salt is

Photo: VeggieTech, 2020.

removed from seawater, so that freshwater suitable for human consumption is produced. The issue with desalination is that the highly concentrated brine is splurged back into the sea. Excess brine enhances the naturally saline conditions of the Gulf, which is a threat to coral reefs and fish stocks. On the other hand, economic water scarcity exists when water is physically available but unattainable by locals. Whilst this form of water scarcity might not threaten all of the Gulf nations, it presents problems for the poorest Arab countries, such as war-torn Yemen. Yemen is suffering what some label as the greatest humanitarian crisis in history. Covid-19 is highlighting the result of a collective failure to uphold the most basic human right to water and sanitation. War, the violation of human rights, and lack of sanitation only render the Yemeni people more vulnerable to Covid-19.

Jordan is another Arab nation threatened by aridity, particularly as its namesake river is drying up. The river has given life to the inhabitants of this region since time immemorial. However, intensive irrigation and climate change accelerate its depletion, threatening the nation’s agriculture, livelihood, and health of its people. With strict lockdown measures against Covid-19, the Jordanian monarchy did well in protecting its people, resulting in a relatively low number of cases. However, whilst the nation’s productivity might be put on hold during the lockdown, climate change does not pause with it. Aridity, drought, and desertification still threaten the agro-economies of the Middle East. Resuming farming activities could potentially cause a quick and unplanned rise in demand for irrigation water, risking overdrawing water and exasperating an already dire issue. Post-pandemic, the Kingdom should follow-through with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation’s plan of expanding combined desalination and groundwater capabilities in order to provide for their growing population and to protect the river’s supply. Covid-19

Middle East exposed another raw truth: many Middle Eastern coun- ity-ruled-by-minority government, the sea levels are tries, especially the Gulf states, are reliant on food im- incessantly creeping up. It is expected that by the end ports from elsewhere as their climates are not favour- of 2020, 45% of the population will be in poverty, and able for most agriculture production. Climate change is the economic downturn of Covid-19 is only worsenfurther reducing its agricultural capabilities. By disrupt- ing. The staggering levels of homelessness caused by ing the global food supply system, Covid-19 has ex- the August blast have led to Covid-19 cases to surge posed the reality that a shift in agriculture is necessary in the capital. Additionally, 3 hospitals were “rendered for these states to survive on their own. For example, non-functional”, losing 500 beds, as well as 17 containthe minister of food security, Mariam Al-Mheiri of the ers of Covid-19 healthcare supplies. It is imperative that UAE has been preparing for such a catastrophe, since the people of Lebanon, setting aside their differences, 90% of the nation’s food is imported. The UAE is one of form an effective government and focus on combatthe global leaders in innovation, including in the envi- ing coastal erosion and rising sea levels. As the sea ronment and agriculture arenas. With the assistance of continues to rise, more people will be displaced. With international partnerships, the UAE has taken the reins Covid-19 cases rising and the government’s negligence on combating climate change and the effects on its cit- of the blasts, the clamour for reform will only further izens. Through agrotechnology, in a joint-venture with intensify. South Korea, the UAE managed to grow and harvest rice The Syrian and Iraqi governments have been busy with for the first time in the desert. Using a rice strain that is the sheer violence and instability caused by the topless reliant on water, the farmers harvested the staple pling of dictators and foreign intervention in the name crop, in the hot and arid deserts of of “democracy”, however, this has the UAE. The scientists managed to harvest 763 kilograms of rice from “shift in agriculture not stopped the people from combating climate change. In Syria, for just 1,000 square meters of desert. is necessary for these example, a 23-year old has created Once implemented on a national scale, the UAE could potentially no states to survive on a hydroponic facility on his rooftop which can annually produce 35 longer rely on rice imports to feed their own.” tonnes of vegetation. He has surits near 10 million citizens. passed his economic restraints and Similarly, the lack of fertile soil has during Covid-19, has been a great propelled massive investments into hydroponics (a help to his neighbourhood. However, the refugee crimethod of growing crops without conventional soil), sis remains. Whilst the main reason for refugees fleeing since surprisingly, freshwater is more available than fer- these nations is due to war, climate change will only intile soil. Companies like VeggiTech, have started grow- crease the number of refugees leaving the region. Refuing vegetables, so as to enable the UAE’s transition to gees are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 as they are greater independence from external assistance. It re- not guaranteed to have basic healthcare essentials and mains clear that national lockdowns have exposed the living in dilapidated and overcrowded camps means harsh reality of the Gulf states’ unsustainable agricul- it is very challenging to practice social distancing. In a tural model, hence, their desire to become agricultur- global pandemic, they are defenceless and often unacally self-sufficient. counted for.

Lebanon on the other hand, the only Middle Eastern nation without a desert, and often the centre of political turmoil, has experienced Covid-19 in a very different manner. It had managed to keep Covid-19 cases relatively low, however, the people have taken to the streets in protest of the government, following the tragic explosion in Beirut on August 4th, which utterly devastated the city and destroyed around 300,000 homes. Nonetheless, with 80% of the population living near the coast, climate change has long threatened the Lebanese people as rising sea levels could cause up to 140 million dollars of damage by 2040. Whilst the people have been fighting the religiously stratified, majorCovid-19, and the potential of future pandemics, in parallel with climate change, threaten Middle Eastern countries and only exacerbate the political turmoil they have been facing. Nations need to continue investment into technologies like hydroponics and desalination in order to address the risks exposed by Covid-19. To overcome Covid-19 and climate change challenges, intergovernmental organisations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council, need to step up and help their poorer neighbours. In handling the challenges of climate change together, potentially, a better post-pandemic world can be built – one with peace, accessible water, and sustainable agriculture.