Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
and industrial pollution, environmental problems have affected a large sector of the
community in the area.
A combination of salt water intrusion due to Sea Level Rise (SLR) and increased
soil salinity due to increased evaporation are expected to reduce the quality of
shallow groundwater supplies in the coastal areas. Rainfall measurements in coastal
areas are contradictory and make it difficult to predict whether rainfall is increasing
or decreasing.
In addition to its local impacts, climate change over Egypt has secondary regional
impacts which also affect the international community. These include:
1. Increasing temperature increases soil erosion and wind speed, which in turn
increases amount of Saharan dust carried across the Mediterranean to European
countries causing health and economic problems.
2. Increased unemployment increases immigration pressure on European countries.
3. Decrease of water resources increases friction among countries sharing the same
water resources (e.g. Nile and Euphrates), and leads to political unrest.
4. Increases in temperature and humidity increase rates of deterioration of Egyptian
archaeological treasures which are considered among the most important in the
world.
5.6
Government Response to the Climate Change Challenge
The coastal zone of Egypt is seriously vulnerable to the effects of sea level rise and
changes in weather patterns from both the physical and the socio-economic points of
view. Large areas of the governorates of Alexandria, Behaira, Kafr El-Shiekh, Port
Said, Damietta and Suez, are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise. Other vulnera-
ble areas include Lake Bardawil, coast of Obeyedh near Matruh and the coasts of the
Bitter lakes. Many other areas on the Red Sea are also vulnerable. The coastal zones
as a whole are also particularly vulnerable to changes in precipitation, excessive
frequency of storm surges and changes in the heat pattern through the impacts of
floods. The impacts of accelerated sea level rise (ASLR) through direct inundation,
salt water intrusion, deterioration of ecological systems and associated socio-
economic consequences, have been addressed. Impacts resulting from changes in
the precipitation pattern, shortages of fresh water resources, loss of already scarce
vegetation cover, increased desertification and associated socio-economic impacts,
have yet to be studied in depth. The techniques and methodologies for vulnerability
assessment of Egypt's coastal zones are reasonably well identified (e.g. IPCC
methodology based on remote sensing and GIS). Although a quantitative pilot
study has been carried out for one or more of the vulnerable areas (e.g. Alexandria
governorate, Port Said.) current data on land use and elevation are needed before
reaching a final overall assessment of the potential impacts of climate change on
the coastal zones of the country. A program based on a strategic policy for coastal
protection and adaptation must be advanced and implemented.
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