Strategic plans to support action against climate change in the Arab countries in the Middle East Region

Abstract

Climate change has become a global challenge due to its critical
impact on the natural as well as the human environment. This
article focuses on the effects of climate change in the Middle
East (ME) region and the strategies suggested to combat its
impacts. The research involves reviewing and analyzing
published articles from major databases in this domain. The
literature shows that countries in the ME region, with a
particular focus on the Arab countries, have also realized that
urgent actions should be taken to decrease climate change
threats. Several countries are committing to international
principles, supporting the global effort against climate change,
such as adopting renewable sources for efficient energy
production. Moreover, some of the ME region countries are
considered a hub for emitting CO2 because of their hot climate,
which requires the use of energy for air-conditioning, highwater desalination demands due to water scarcity, and the
dependence on energy-exhaustive industries. Recently, Saudi
Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have proposed
strict measures to reduce their energy consumption and move
towards renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy.
Some countries have also funded projects for developing green
buildings to create a sustainable environment. However, this
paper emphasizes the need to establish strict regulations to
impose policies and practices to achieve the global temperature
rise limit below 1.5oC. Moreover, all ME countries must invest in renewable energy sources by promoting education, research,
and implementing carbon pricing mechanisms. Nevertheless, as
part of the Paris Agreement and other international
commitments, there is a growing need to develop more socioeconomic policies to meet this vision.