The study also shows that the level of the Mediterranean Sea has risen over the past twenty years by 6 cm as a result of the loss of ice volume in Antarctica, Greenland and many mountainous areas. In addition, the acidity of the water has increased significantly. According to the researchers, a large part of the population in the Mediterranean basin lives close very coastal and may suffer from many floods and storms in the winter. Also, infiltration of salt water from the sea will damage agricultural lands in many areas such as the delta region In the Nile characterized by a very high population density.
The average temperature in the Mediterranean basin has risen since the industrial revolution by 1.4 degrees Celsius - almost 1.5 times the global average, according to a new international study conducted in collaboration with the University of Haifa and published in the prestigious journal "Nature Climate Change". "The Mediterranean basin region is considered particularly sensitive because of the hundreds of millions of people who live around it, the water crisis that already exists there, the refugee problem and the governmental instability in some countries. To this must also be added the tourist burdens that characterize the region. The study shows the serious consequences of climate change In our region, on the ecosystems, water and food supply, and public health." said Prof. Shlomit Paz, the editors of the study.
According to studies and reports on the effects of climate change, it has been found that many areas on Earth are expected to suffer far-reaching changes as a result of an increase in cases of extreme weather caused by climate change. In the current study, Prof. Paz, head of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Haifa, together with a group of researchers from seven other countries examined the effect of global climate change on the Mediterranean basin. The data that appears in the article is based on measurements that have been carried out over the years in various international research institutions using data from meteorological stations around the world and through various climatic models and geo-climatic findings.
The findings show that the effects of climate change are more severe in the Mediterranean basin. First, it was found that the average temperature in the Mediterranean basin increased by 1.4 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial period, compared to an increase of one degree in the global average. At the same time as the temperature rises, the trend of a decrease in the amount of precipitation also increases, thereby exacerbating the water shortage that leads to damage to agricultural productivity, mainly in the countries of the southern Mediterranean. Increasing the water quotas to cover the damage to agriculture will create a conflict with the need for water for other uses such as: drinking water, industry and tourism.
The study also shows that the level of the Mediterranean Sea has risen over the past twenty years by 6 cm as a result of the loss of ice volume in Antarctica, Greenland and many mountainous areas. In addition, the acidity of the water has increased significantly. According to the researchers, a large part of the population in the Mediterranean basin lives close very coastal and may suffer from many floods and storms in the winter. Also, infiltration of salt water from the sea will damage agricultural lands in many areas such as the delta region In the Nile characterized by a very high population density.
Another danger, which we may have already seen the first signs of last summer, concerns the outbreak of diseases transmitted by insects. According to the researchers, the extreme heat waves are a favorable breeding ground for insects that carry diseases such as the West Nile fever that exists in Israel or the chikungunya disease that recently broke out in various countries In the Mediterranean basin. "The impact of climate change on public health is clear. We saw this last summer in Israel as well with the increase in morbidity from diseases transmitted by insects such as West Nile fever or Leishmania," said Prof. Paz.
In order to deal with climate change that crosses borders, there is a need for cooperation between the countries of the region through research, preparation for the changing reality and a joint effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The authors of the article are a leading team of the MedECC network of Mediterranean researchers (which examines climate change and the environment in the Mediterranean Basin) which is supported by government agencies and international bodies. "The network currently involves 400 expert scientists from the Mediterranean countries, who carry out a synthesis of the risks and challenges. Our goal is to present them to the policy makers and thus provide them with tools and knowledge for preparing and making informed decisions," the researchers conclude.
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