Is Alexandria in danger of drowning due to climate change?

Weather of Arabia - Alexandria, whose name has been known throughout the ages as one of the most important cities in Egypt, its second largest city, and its largest port, faces the risk of being swallowed by the waves of the Mediterranean Sea within a few decades.

The city founded by Alexander the Great on the Nile Delta is teetering on the brink of danger, as part of its territory is submerged as a result of sea level rise caused by climate warming. According to the most optimistic scenarios drawn up by the United Nations, a third of the city will be underwater or uninhabitable by 2050, making A quarter of its six million people are being forced from their homes, and its ancient ruins and historical treasures may not survive this danger.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the sinking of Alexandria

The Egyptian authorities confirmed the validity of the scenarios talked about by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson regarding the sinking of the city of Alexandria, and announced measures to protect the city. This came after Johnson said at the climate change conference held last Monday in Glasgow, Scotland, that temperatures would rise by only 4 degrees. It will threaten cities such as Alexandria in Egypt, Miami in the United States, and Shanghai in China.

In this context, Egyptian Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Ati said in press statements that what Johnson mentioned is not a surprise to Egypt, but rather the Egyptian government has been working on this issue for a long time and he confirmed that there are places in the Nile Delta that are at risk, and not Alexandria alone, according to what was reported by the satellite channel. Egyptian "Sada El Balad".

Abdel Aty pointed out that the scenarios Johnson talked about will not happen today or tomorrow, but they could happen by the year 2100.

A symposium on climate change and water resource challenges in Egypt at the Library of Alexandria

Today, the Library of Alexandria organized a symposium entitled “Climate Changes and Water Resources Challenges in Egypt” as part of the activities of the cultural program of the Alexandria International Book Fair in its nineteenth edition earlier in July. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Razek, Head of the Central Administration of Tourism and Resorts in Alexandria, and Dr. Suzan Al-Gharbawi, Vice President of the National Institute of Marine Sciences, and its management is Dr. Hoda Al-Saati, Member of the Council of the Journalists Syndicate in Alexandria.

• Climate change challenges

Dr. Hoda Al-Saati confirmed that climate change has become a major challenge on the agenda of international governments, and talking about it is no longer a kind of luxury. It has an unprecedented impact on high temperatures and weather disturbances, which leads to intense rainfall. Al-Saati pointed to the efforts of the Egyptian state to mitigate the risks related to climate change, including the National Climate Change Strategy 2030, in addition to beach protection projects, especially in Alexandria, which It has been exposed to difficult climatic fluctuations in recent years.

• The impact of climate changes on Alexandria

Dr. Mohamed Abdel Razek spoke about the impact of climate changes on the beaches of Alexandria, pointing out that international reports indicate that marine life is most affected by climate change due to global warming. He referred to the assessment report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which provides strong evidence that warming Global global warming is primarily due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, resulting in the melting of icebergs and raising sea levels.

Abdel Razek added that temperature records since 1850 show global temperatures rising by 0.8 degrees Celsius on average, and carbon dioxide concentrations increasing from 280 parts per million in the mid-nineteenth century to 388 parts per million at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Global warming is expected to continue, with average temperatures rising by 2.5 to 4.7 degrees Celsius by 2100.

• Sea level rise

Abdel Razek explained that climate changes may lead to a rise in sea levels by 0.18 to 0.79 metres, which may cause environmental disruption that affects marine life. He pointed to negative human behavior, such as overfishing and the removal of coral reefs, and stressed the need to take strict measures to protect the marine environment. He explained that Egypt has begun establishing natural reserves to protect marine life from these negative influences.

• Efforts to protect Alexandria

Abdel Razek pointed out that Alexandria was affected by climate change, which led to the collapse of parts of the Corniche, and the state intervened quickly to protect the city’s beaches from erosion and rising sea levels. The Egyptian Coastal Protection Authority has begun extending tongues for marine protection.

Climate changes and their effects on the environment

Dr. Suzan Al-Gharbawi provided a detailed explanation of climate change and its effects on the environment, explaining that climate change is considered a long-term change in average temperatures and weather patterns. She pointed out that the world is currently witnessing unusual change in seasonal patterns as a result of factors including a change in the greenhouse effect and carbon dioxide emissions resulting from burning fuel and deforestation.

Egypt's efforts to confront climate change

Al-Gharabawi confirmed that the atmosphere has warmed significantly, causing global warming that has led to forest fires, storms and floods. She pointed out that Egypt is not one of the countries causing climate change, but it has been affected by its consequences, especially the rise in sea levels near the Nile Delta, which puts agricultural areas at risk.

She explained that the National Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries conducted studies to anticipate the percentages of land lost in the event of sea rise, and developed scenarios to deal with these changes.

See also:

Climate change | Although the La Nina phenomenon has begun to develop, ocean temperatures remain high, foretelling a strong hurricane season

Just like what happens in an oven... climate change has increased periods of heat waves

Sources:

The 2021 Human Development Report issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Planning in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme.

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