Bahrain faces problem of losing low-lying land areas and coastal erosion: Prof Waleed Zubari
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
One of the biggest threats faced by the Kingdom is sea level rise fuelled by climate change, according to a leading academic authority in water resources management.
Average sea levels have increased over eight inches since 1880, and within that, about three inches were gained in the last 25 years.
An expert study has revealed that every year the sea rises another .13 inches (3.2 mm).
Speaking to The Daily Tribune, Prof Waleed Zubari, the Professor of Water Resources Management and Coordinator of Water Resources Management Programme at Arabian Gulf University, said the rise in sea level is an important problem that could impact Bahrain since its landmass is low lying and can be affected strongly either in losing land areas or by coastal erosion.
“The Kingdom of Bahrain is categorised by the UN as one of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which are considered as ‘the front lines of climate change, which are seriously threatened by the impacts of sea-level rise,” the top professor said.
Prof Zubari said the impact of climate change on the environment is beyond any reckoning.
“Away from sea level rise, the other impact is the increase in the frequency of climatic variability and extreme events such as heavy rains and droughts.
In other words, the average annual rainfall of Bahrain can be received, or even be exceeded, in one or two storms,” he said.
He said that the sea level rise will hurt water resources management in the Kingdom.
“The rise in sea levels will lead to a potential increase in seawater intrusion to groundwater resources, leading to salinisation.
And this will certainly affect human consumption.
The higher desalination costs would burden the municipal sector.
As of now, the municipal water consumption is met mainly by desalinated water, which is energy-intensive, and has environmental externalities,” Prof Zubari said.
Highlighting the impact of global warming on the existing water resources, Prof Zubari said: “In general, it will lead to increasing water demands, over-stretching the Kingdom’s limited water resources and increasing the associated costs of water provision.
“Moreover, the increase in temperature will lead also to more water consumption by plants, and farmers might adapt with strategies such as changing planting time and using plant varieties with a longer growing season, which in turn would lead to an increase in the overall stresses on water resources in the Kingdom.”
He said the winters would become warmer and warmer and summers would be hotter and hotter in the coming years.
“If you see, the recorded temperatures in Bahrain have been increasing with time, as on planet Earth.
There is confirmation that the Earth’s average temperature has been increasing.
The recorded mean monthly temperatures in Bahrain have indicated a generally increasing trend,” Prof Zubari said.
“The recorded mean monthly temperatures at Bahrain airport since the 1950s, i.e., about 60 years, has shown an increase of about one degree Centigrade.
This conforms, more or less, with the observed increasing trends in temperature in the arid Arab region, which shows an increase of 0.2-0.4 degrees Centigrade per decade.
“Moreover, an analysis by the Climatology Section within the Meteorological Directorate of the Civil Aviation Affairs indicated significant increases in the frequency of hot days and warm nights with cool days and cool nights have been seen to be decreasing.
These observations are regional and have been indicated in all GCC countries.”
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