The heavy downpours and flash flooding in the Gulf countries of Oman and Dubai (UAE) have made news headlines as rainfall worth several years was reported in a matter of hours in the Gulf countries towards the end of April.
The record-breaking rainfall once again highlights the “significant climate change test” and the “vulnerabilities of infrastructure systems” in these countries.
A new study published in "Nature" revealed that the world economy is already committed to an income reduction of 19 per cent until 2050 due to climate change. Overall, global annual damages are estimated to be $38 trillion, with a likely range of $19-59 trillion in 2050.
According to a report in Al Jazeera quoting the World Weather Attribution (WWA), rainfall in El Nino years has become 10-40 per cent heavier in the region affected.
Experts are now calling for an urgent revision of urban development and a multifaceted approach in the plans in these countries to integrate plans for extreme weather events, which are becoming more intermittent, intense, frequent, and difficult to predict.
A World Economic Forum (WEF) report last week suggested, “the flooding in the Gulf illustrated that urban engineering is failing a significant climate change test, especially in rich Gulf countries known for building skyscrapers and buildings of the future".
Addressing the impacts of climate change on infrastructure, therefore, requires a multifaceted approach, the report points out, adding, “in hot and dry climates like those of the Arabian Gulf, rainfall is infrequent and the city’s infrastructure often fails to handle extreme weather events.”
Roads, bridges, ports, and airports are increasingly exposed to more frequent and severe weather events, leading to physical damage, disruptions in supply chains, and increased maintenance costs.
A report by the State of the Climate in Asia 2023 recently highlighted that Asia remained the world’s most disaster-hit region from weather, climate, and water-related hazards in 2023.
Floods and storms caused the highest number of reported casualties and economic losses, while the impact of heat waves became more severe.
Though El Nino may have brought the recent rains in the Gulf region and the extreme humid heat prevailing in South Asia, the economic ramifications of the climate change phenomenon are far-reaching.
The World Meteorological Organization, in an updated report, revealed that over two million people have been killed and the world has suffered economic damages amounting to over $4.3 trillion in the past 100 years from extreme weather events and climate change-related catastrophes.
The report WEF emphasizes that by integrating specific mitigation and adaptation measures, the Gulf countries of Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain can enhance their resilience to flooding and reduce the long-term impact of these extreme weather events on communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
“Adaptation strategies focus on enhancing resilience and reducing vulnerability to flooding, rainstorms, while mitigation strategies aim to reduce the magnitude and impact of flooding events," urges the report.
Accordingly, the WEF suggested to the governments in the Gulf countries to consider building climate resilience into cities by default, installing and maintaining proper drainage systems, and introducing sustainable storm water management.
In addition, the report also recommended the implementation of advanced early warning systems, putting in place strict environmental regulations and assessments, and strengthening international collaboration to share knowledge and data availability in climate change mitigation.
However, the fact is that as the world grapples with the ever-increasing impacts of climate change, the intermittent rains in the Gulf region, which is otherwise known for its arid climate, have emerged as a stark reminder of the planet's and humankind's vulnerability to extreme weather events.
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