المملكة: “COP16″… Long periods of drought call for urgent global action

Environmental experts confirmed at the United Nations COP 16 conference held in Riyadh that among the root causes of drought are climate change and mismanagement of water resources.

While climate change is changing rainfall patterns, increasing the likelihood of prolonged droughts.

This came in a session entitled “Adaptation measures to develop resilience to different types of drought,” at one of the sessions of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) in Riyadh.

Effects of drought on life

Drought is one of the most serious environmental challenges facing the world today, said drought expert Mark Svoboda.
He added: The effects of drought extend to all aspects of life, including agriculture, the economy, and the environment.
He added: In recent years, we have witnessed an increase in the frequency and severity of drought periods, which calls for urgent action.
He continued: We must work to develop effective strategies to adapt to these changes, focus on sustainable water management, and improve the efficiency of water use in agriculture, as agriculture is the largest consumer of water.

Improve water use

Svoboda emphasized that technologies such as data-driven precision agriculture can be used to improve water use.
He said: The use of alternative water sources, such as water recycling and seawater desalination, must be enhanced.
He explained that international cooperation is vital, especially since drought knows no borders, so countries must work together to share knowledge and experiences.
He added that through cooperation, we can develop innovative solutions to deal with drought challenges.
He pointed out the need not to overlook the importance of community awareness and teaching communities how to manage water resources effectively.
Increased awareness of drought issues will also help build communities that are more resilient and able to adapt to changing conditions.

Understanding drought dynamics

The European Commission’s chief researcher in the field of joint research, Andrea Toretti, called for addressing the issue of drought as one of the major challenges facing Europe and the world.
He pointed out that drought is not just a climate phenomenon, but rather a complex result of interactions between climate, environment and human activity.
Touretti stressed the importance of scientific research in understanding the dynamics of drought and its effects on societies, through data collection and analysis.
He noted that scientists can provide evidence-based recommendations to improve water management strategies, calling for the need to develop effective drought adaptation strategies.
This includes improving farming techniques, such as using drought-resistant crops, and applying more efficient irrigation methods.
He also stressed the importance of technological innovation in this field.

Alleviating the negative effects of drought

Climate specialist Dr. Muhammad Al-Sherbini: “Despite the results of the project assessing the Kingdom’s exposure to severe drought, and developing the necessary measures and procedures to mitigate the negative effects of drought, most stations are witnessing a continuous rise in average temperatures over the years at a rate of 0.09 degrees Celsius annually.
He pointed out that the rise during the study period ranged between 2-4 degrees Celsius, depending on the station, which reflects the impact of climate change.
The percentage of areas affected by drought over the past 25 years ranged between 30% and 67% of the total area suffering from severe drought conditions.
El-Sherbiny pointed out that last year witnessed the highest value in vegetation cover due to the annual rainfall rate rising by 70% above the normal rate for the period between 1991-2020, according to the National Center of Meteorology’s 2024 report.