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In the context of global climate change, there is a projected increase in land surface temperature (LST) worldwide, amplifying its impacts. This poses a particular concern for countries with hot climates, including the Kingdom of Bahrain as an example for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC), which are countries with a hot climate. With a surge in population growth, there is a heightened demand for land to accommodate additional residential developments, creating an opportunity to investigate the influence of land use changes on LST variations. To achieve this goal, a residential development project spanning from 2013 to 2023 was undertaken. Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS remote sensing datasets were selected for four climate seasons, each set comprising images before and after development. The analysis involved extracting the LST, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Normalized Difference Built-Up Index (NDBI) on various dates, followed by correlation and regression analyses to explore their interrelationships. The results revealed a significant increase in the mean LST during spring and autumn post-development. A consistent positive association between the LST and NDBI was observed across all seasons, strengthening after development completion. Conversely, there was a pre-development negative correlation between the LST and NDVI, shifting to a positive relationship post-development. These findings empirically support the idea that small-scale residential developments contribute to notable LST increases, primarily due to expanded impervious surfaces. These insights have the potential to inform localized adaptation strategies for small-scale residential development projects, crucial for managing the impacts of rising land surface temperatures.

The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) is considered among the world’s most vulnerable to the dire impacts of climate change. This review paper aims at (1) characterizing climate change in countries of the EMR; (2) examining the potential effects of climate change on the nutritional and health status of the population; and (3) identifying the most vulnerable population groups. The paper explored several climate change indicators including daily temperatures, extreme temperature, daily precipitation, extreme precipitation (flooding, drought, storms, etc.), humidity, CO2 concentrations and sea surface temperature in EMR countries. Findings suggest that climate change will exert a significant adverse effect on water and food security and showed that the nutritional status of the population, which is already characterized by the triple burden of malnutrition, is likely to worsen via three main pathways mediated by climate change, namely, its impact on food security, care and health. Women, infants, children, those living in poor households and those experiencing displacement will be among the most vulnerable to the nutritional impacts of climate change. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations from the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition, which can support the region in tackling the critical nexus of climate change and nutrition.

Over the past few decades, solid waste production, specifically construction waste, in Middle Eastern Arab countries has dramatically increased. This is characterized by several factors, including rapid urbanization, common food wasting habits, diverse culture, lack of proper planning of solid waste processes, insufficient equipment, as well as lack of proper funding. The exponential growth in solid waste generation rates has led to hazards to health and the environment, causing issues related to air and water pollution under the already increasing pressure of climate change. In this review, we analyze the current solid waste challenges in 13 Arab countries, common diseases, and actual projects applied. The selection of Arab countries was mainly based on the countries with the highest population as well as the availability of data in the field of study. This review also highlights the efforts of the Arab governments that implemented several pilot projects that are not sustainable or effective in the long term. We discuss the main issues facing each Arab country and the main challenges they have in common, as well as the potential to use the great amounts of construction waste in these countries. It is recommended that proper disposal and collection plans should be prioritized in the municipalities’ agendas since air and water pollution represent the main challenge in all Arab countries. Adequate treatment, recycling, and compost production facilities should be initiated and monitored regularly to take advantage of the relatively high percentage of organic matter in most Arab countries. Proper cooperation between the informal sector, private companies, and governments should be ensured in order to achieve long-term goals in the solid waste management (SWM) sector in MENA (Middle East and Northern Africa) Arab countries. This review provides a comprehensive study of the construction waste in MENA Arab countries that will help reach the goal of achieving sustainable countries.

The pearl oyster Pinctada radiata (Leach, 1814), a crucial ecosystem builder in the Arabian Gulf, has experienced a significant decline, mainly attributed to anthropogenic pressures. This study aimed to characterize the reproductive cycle of P. radiata in Qatar and compare the current data with historical records in the region obtained between 1992 and 1993. From May 2020 to April 2022, we found a well-defined seasonal reproductive pattern, with a narrow peak spawning period in April. This observation stands out strongly from the previous recordings of 1992–1993 for the region, where spawning extended from May to August. The observed shift in the reproductive cycle coincides with a notable increase in the maximum sea surface temperature (SST), rising from 34 °C in August (1992–1993) to 37 °C in July (2020–2022), while the minimum SST remained stable at 15–16 °C in January during both periods. Furthermore, a contraction in the duration of the main spawning period was observed, with spawning now confined to an earlier and shorter timeframe. We propose that climate change, in addition to other environmental stressors, must have played a key role in modifying the reproductive cycle of the pearl oyster P. radiata in the Arabian Gulf. These findings highlight the importance of further monitoring reproductive dynamics in the context of climate change.

A changing climate and global warming have adversely affected Pakistan’s moist and dry temperate vegetation. Abies pindrow (fir) (Royle ex D.Don) Royle and Picea smithiana (spruce) Wall.) Boiss are the two major representative species of the moist and dry temperate forests in Northern Pakistan. The dendroclimatic study of both species is crucial for the assessment of climate variability at various spatial and temporal scales. This study examined the dendroclimatology of fir and spruce, and analyzed the growth–climate relationship along the latitudinal gradient. Two hundred and nineteen samples (ring cores) of the two species were collected from five different sites (Shogran (SHG), Upper Dir (UDS), Bahrain Swat (BSG), Astore Gilgit (NPKA), and Sharan Kaghan (SHA)) in Northern Pakistan. The cores were cross-dated, and chronologies were generated for the species and climatic data (precipitation, temperature, and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI)) correlated with radial growth. The interspecies correlations for fir were calculated as 0.54, 0.49, 0.52, 0.60, and 0.48 for SHG, UDS, BSG, NPKA, and SHA, respectively, whereas in the case of spruce, the interspecies correlations were 0.44 for SHG, 0.55 for UDS, and 0.49 for BSG. Climate variability was observed in the samples of both species, which showed significant drought and humid years at specific intervals. With respect to the correlation between tree-ring width and climatic factors, a positive correlation was observed between fir growth and summer season precipitation, mean temperature, and PDSI in the spring, summer, and autumn seasons. Similarly, the growth of spruce was positively correlated with precipitation (in February, September, and May) and PDSI (in the summer and autumn seasons); however, no correlation was observed between monthly temperature and spruce growth. The relationship of fir and spruce growth with seasonal precipitation and PDSI showed a change from a negative to a positive correlation after 1980, following rapid warming. During the winter and spring, the correlation coefficient between fir radial growth and seasonal temperature showed an initial upward trend followed by a progressive decrease along with increasing latitude. Seasonal variations were observed regarding the correlation coefficient between spruce radial growth and increasing latitude (increasing in winter; a decreasing trend in spring and summer; an initial increase and then a decrease in autumn). In the same way, the correlation of seasonal temperature and PDSI with the radial growth of both species showed increasing trends with increasing latitude, except in the autumn season.

The current food security situation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is surrounded by uncertainty and bleak due to several domestic and global challenges, such as a rapid increase in population growth rate, a global slowdown in economic growth rate, climate change impacts, a reduction in water resources, the spreading of political instability, the prevalence of malnutrition, low food production, high food import dependency, weak transport infrastructure, weak drinking water and sanitation services, and suffering from a severe income gap between the population of this region. This paper aims to shed light on the food security situation in the MENA region by investigating the determinants of food security in that region and then measuring the food security performance of each MENA country. The study contributes to tackling the current food security situation in the MENA region by focusing on investigating the food security determinants and weights by using multiple regression analysis to understand the role of macroeconomic factors in improving food security performance in the MENA countries. The findings confirm that in terms of food availability and access, the MENA countries have decent stability on those dimensions, while food utilization and stability dimensions in MENA countries have poor performance. Keywords: Food Security, MENA, Multiple Regression Analysis, Food Security Determinants and performance. JEL codes: C01, O13, Q18

The present study utilizes daily maximum and minimum values of temperature for a period of 37 years from 1970–2006 in five coastal cities for the estimation of monthly and annual totals of cooling, heating, and industrial degree-days at base temperatures of 18°C and 24°C, 18°C and 20°C, 7°C, and 13°C, respectively. Increasing trends were observed in case of annual total cooling degree-days (CDD) and industrial degree-days over the period of study at all base temperatures. Furthermore, well-defined seasonal trends were seen with increasing values from January to July and then decreasing towards the end of the year. The heating degree-days (HDD) analysis indicated slight heating during January to March and in December. The annual total HDD showed decreasing trends at both base temperatures. It is worth mentioning that the rate of increase of annual CDD was found to be decreasing with decreasing latitude on the Red Sea coast from Al-Wejh to Gizan with an exception at Yanbo, where it was higher than at Al-Wejh. On the other hand, the rate of decrease of annual HDD was found to be decreasing with decreasing latitude on the Red Sea coast from Al-Wejh to Gizan. The seasonal and annual values of cooling degree-days were found to be comparable with corresponding values for stations like international airports in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Musqat, and Cairo with similar types of climatic conditions.

This review examines the vast opportunities and key challenges in renewable waste management across the Gulf region, with a particular emphasis on Saudi Arabia. As global demand for sustainable energy intensifies, driven by technological advancements and environmental concerns, the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, notably Saudi Arabia, are beginning to acknowledge the urgency of transitioning from fossil fuel reliance to renewable waste management. This review identifies the abundant renewable resources in the region and highlights progress in policy development while emphasizing the need for comprehensive frameworks and financial incentives to drive further investment and innovation. Waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies offer a promising avenue for reducing environmental degradation and bolstering energy security. With Saudi Arabia targeting the development of 3 Gigawatts of WTE capacity by 2030 as part of national sustainability initiatives, barriers such as regulatory complexities, financial constraints, and public misconceptions persist. Ultimately, this review concludes that advancing renewable waste management in the Gulf, particularly through stronger policies, stakeholders’ collaboration, investment in WTE and an enhancement in public awareness and education, is critical for achieving sustainability goals. By harnessing these opportunities, the region can take decisive steps toward achieving sustainability, positioning Saudi Arabia as a leader in the global fight against climate change and resource depletion.