Alexandria Seminar
Venue: YTD
Time: YTD
February 3, 2024
Climate Change Challenges and Vulnerabilities along the Alexandria and MENA Coastal Region
Alexandria and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) coastal region confront significant climate change challenges that threaten their environmental stability, economies, and communities. Rising sea levels, intensified by melting polar ice and thermal expansion, pose a grave risk to these low-lying coastal areas. Cities like Alexandria, with dense populations and extensive infrastructure, face the potential for increased flooding, erosion, and saline intrusion into freshwater sources, jeopardizing livelihoods and essential services.
The MENA region also grapples with escalating temperatures and decreased precipitation, leading to severe droughts and water scarcity. This exacerbates existing stressors on agriculture, exacerbating food insecurity and straining already limited water resources. Coastal communities are additionally vulnerable to more frequent and intense storms, impacting both human settlements and fragile ecosystems.
These challenges demand comprehensive strategies that encompass adaptive infrastructure, sustainable urban planning, ecosystem protection, and equitable resource allocation. Collaborative international efforts are vital, as the impacts of climate change transcend borders. Mitigating these effects necessitates urgent action on greenhouse gas emissions, harnessing renewable energy sources, and strengthening regional cooperation to safeguard the socio-economic fabric of Alexandria and the MENA coastal line.