Future Challenges of Climate Change in the MENA Region

The MENA region will be one of those most severely affected by ongoing climate changes. These will be caused by increased average temperatures, less and more erratic precipitation, changing patterns of rainfall, continuing sea-level rise and changes in water supply. All this will happen in a region which already suffers from aridity, recurrent drought and water scarcity. Climate change in the MENA region is expected to affect water resources, sea level, biodiversity, human health, food production, land use and urban planning, and tourism. One of the consequences of these major climate-related changes in the MENA region will be increasing migration to Europe. Therefore the EU, its member states and relevant actors – civil society organizations, business and the science community – are urgently required to support their counterparts in the MENA region by focusing on mitigation and adaptation activities related to climate change.