Water resources and climate change

摘要: The Arab region stretches across a latitudinal landmass belt known for its acute water scarcity and aridity, which presents Arab countries with a serious water balance predicament that threatens its socioeconomic development. These arid conditions are the result of complex global atmospheric circulations that predominantly divert moisture to bordering latitudinal regions. Projected climatic changes are expected to intensify these processes leading to even drier and warmer conditions (Assaf, 2008). The climatic wind system that brings precipitation to North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean is expected to drift northward removing a large portion of already meager precipitation levels. This grim perspective makes it necessary that Arab countries take active and long-term measures to bridge the widening gap between rising water demands and exhausted and deteriorating water resources.This paper addresses how climate change may affect water resources in the Arab region and proposes a range of adaptation strategies and measures for consideration by policy-makers. The paper describes a vulnerability-based approach in order to comprehend the role of climate change, among other main stresses such as population growth and land use change, in shaping the status and management of water resources in the region. Specific determinants of vulnerability are emphasized to help decision makers design effective holistic policies that not only address climate change but also consider other pertinent strains on water resources.