lGlobal Warming To Change Map of region Forever
Dylan Bowman
Rising sea levels due to global warming could change the map of the Gulf forever, scientists warned on Monday, calling on countries in the region to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
New research to be presented at The British University in Dubai (BUiD) on Tuesday reveals that global temperatures are at risk of rising between 1.8 and 4 degrees Celsius due to global warming, which could see ice caps to melt and coastal areas submerged.
“Human impact on the planet has accelerated over the last hundred years, with the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere being radically altered by burning fossil fuels. Understanding that impact and agreeing steps forward is a critical imperative for the future,” said Professor Geoffrey Boulton of the University of Edinburgh, responsible for the research.
The Gulf is home to some of the world's biggest polluters of greenhouse gas per capita.
According to a UN Development Programme report last year, UAE greenhouse gas emissions were 34.1 tonnes per head in 2004, the third highest in the world after Qatar and Kuwait, and well above US per capita emissions of 20.6 tonnes.
British entrepreneur Richard Branson warned in November that Dubai's iconic manmade island projects such as the Palm Trilogy and The World would be underwater in 50 years if governments did not address the issue of climate change.
Dubai will be underwater in 50 years, alerts Branson
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