Melting glaciers could have serious consequences for the Middle East

The global challenges created by climate change causing glaciers to melt will only get worse unless urgent action is taken to address the issue, experts have warned.

Their remarks follow a report from the World Meteorological Organisation that revealed glaciers have experienced the largest loss of mass on record in the past three years.

Saturday is World Water Day, designated by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. This year's theme is glacier preservation. Meltwater from glaciers is essential for drinking water and agriculture.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) report highlights that frozen parts of Earth’s surface, known as the cryosphere, are melting at an alarming rate.

“Glaciers continue to retreat, and Antarctic sea ice reached its second-lowest extent ever recorded,” said Prof Celeste Saulo, secretary general of the WMO. “Meanwhile, extreme weather continues to have devastating consequences around the world.” Prof Saulo added that data for 2024 showed that oceans continued to warm, with sea levels continuing to rise.

Last year was the hottest year on record, with the average global temperature breaching the 1.5°C target for global warming set under the Paris Agreement.

According to the latest WMO report, long-term global warming is estimated to be between 1.34°C and 1.41°C compared to the pre-industrial level, which is the term given to the temperature between 1850 and 1900.

“While a single year above 1.5°C of warming does not indicate that the long-term temperature goals of the Paris Agreement are out of reach, it is a wake-up call that we are increasing the risks to our lives, economies and to the planet,” said Prof Saulo.

How do melting glaciers impact the region?

The UAE may be more than 12,000km from Antarctica, where most glaciers are found, but water and conservation experts warn that melting glaciers have direct and serious consequences for the region.

"Despite the geographical distance, the UAE recognises the global consequences of their disappearance – impacting food security, economic stability, and accelerating sea-level rise." said Dr Amna Bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment. "We embrace our shared responsibility through sustainable water management."

Major rivers around the globe, such as the Nile and the Euphrates in the Middle East and North Africa, are fed by glaciers. As glaciers shrink, the water supply and run-off to the rivers will slowly diminish, affecting farms and cities.

“The water we rely on and the food we import, and even our coastal infrastructure are all affected by what happens to the world's glaciers,” Nidal Hilal, professor of engineering and director of the NYU Abu Dhabi Water Research Centre, told The National.

Cities in the UAE could experience ripple effects, not only from the impact on agriculture and drought. Rising sea levels caused by melting glaciers could affect low-lying coastal cities such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as Doha.

“So when we talk about melting glaciers, it is not just a crisis for the Arctic or Himalayas, it is a global issue that affects water, food and stability right here in all the Mena region,” said Prof Hilal. “Addressing this requires investment in sustainable water management adaptation strategies and global co-operation to mitigate the climate risks.”

As glaciers shrink, Prof Hilal warns, rivers become less reliable, leading to seasonal droughts and a greater dependence on desalination, which is the process of removing salt from seawater. The World Bank estimates that by 2030, water scarcity could displace more than 700 million people globally.

Showcasing sustainability water usage

Before World Water Day, Philip Dunn, a senior sustainability manager at Expo City Dubai's Education and Culture department took The National on a behind-the-scenes tour of the water management system at Terra.

Terra can produce more than 20,000 litres of water a day by extracting it from atmospheric humidity. Appliances and infrastructure also reduce water usage, a model which could be replicated outside the compound.

The water management system at the site aims to showcase global best practices to minimise wastage. “At Terra we realise every drop of water is very important,” Mr Dunn said.

These practices include extracting water from air conditioning, reusing tap water, filtering “grey water”, which is the waste water from bathrooms and toilets, with engineered reed beds to let “nature take its course”.

The UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 aims to reduce total demand for water resources by 21 percent and substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors.