Not a day goes by without us encountering the issue of climate change, which has become a clear and present danger on the future of life on planet Earth. Climate change has become a global phenomenon that threatens the ecological balance on our planet. To face these dangers, scientists are working hard to find a solution to this dilemma and to avoid its consequences. The climate change problem requires the mobilization of all human resources and international expertise to face the impacts of a possible environmental catastrophe that can endanger the fate of humanity.
The global climate is an extremely complicated system that makes it difficult to predict the final result of all these changes. For example, wind and rain distributions that prevailed for hundreds of years and on which millions of humans depended can change; and sea water levels can increase, endangering islands and coastal lowland regions. In an already congested and exhausted world, and with ongoing global problems, these additional pressures can lead directly to more famines and calamities.
If the current rates continue, the atmosphere’s temperature will rise and scientists expect that global warming will lead to shortage in drinking water, deterioration in agricultural productivity and soil fertility, further desertification, spread of pests and diseases, rise in ocean and sea water levels, as well as catastrophic weather incidents.
In alignment with other environmental issues, climate change studies involve three main axes. The first is concerned with scientific aspects of the issue; the second is concerned with studying the impact of foreseen problems, while the third adopts the necessary policies and strategies for facing the problem or adapting to it.
Naturally, all countries of the world are concerned with the issue of climate change because all countries will suffer its negative impact. In Egypt, there are studies on the expected effects of climate changes especially on agriculture. The most prominent of these studies is that conducted by the Center for Agricultural Research, which studies the effects of climate change on Egyptian agriculture. Other studies are dedicated to the impact of climate change, especially global warming, on the rise of sea water levels, and the consequent threat on coastal zones, such as the Nile Delta.
Within the past few years, the first execution phase of the project for implementing solar energy in touristic resorts and new reclamation villages has been completed. Another project completed is that for improving energy capacity and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions with the purpose of reducing electricity waste in production, distribution and transportation. Furthermore, standards for measuring consumption rationalization have been put, in addition to preparation of energy saving building regulations.
Future plans aim to survey greenhouse gas emissions from the different sectors and to evaluate the evolution of climate changes—its impact on the different sectors as well as relevant scientific researches conducted in Egypt. It also aims to identify means for dealing with and adapting to it, as well as place a regional model simulating climate changes in the Nile Delta region to predict the future situation of water resources.
The plan also intends to execute climate change adaptation projects, as well as pilot projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that aim to disseminate clean energy technologies such as solar energy and bio-fuels, as well as sustainable development mechanism development projects.
*Adapted from an article published in the PSC Newsletter, Summer 2010.