Climate change catastrophe in Eygpt

Rising sea levels brought on by climate change are putting a grave threat on Egypt's economy, food security and livelihoods.The effect of global warming on the country’s prime food source, the Nile Delta could force millions of Egyptians from their homes and devastate the country's ability to feed itself. If scientists’ predictions hold true, that's what likely to happen to the impoverished and overpopulated nation by the end of the century.

The Delta, dubbed Eygpt’s bread basket, is home to two-thirds of the country's population, and responsible for more than 60% of its food supply. Egypt relies unconditionally on it for survival. By the end of the century, the Mediterranean and the world's other seas, will rise between one foot (30 centimetres) and 3.3 feet (one meter), flooding coastal areas along the Delta, scientists forecast. The Mediterranean has already been creeping up about .08 inches a year for the last decade, flooding parts of Egypt's shoreline. "The situation is serious and requires immediate attention. Any delay would mean extra losses," Mohamed el-Raey, an environmental scientist at Alexandria University told Associated Press news service.

Nearly half of Egypt's crops, including wheat, bananas and rice, are grown in the Delta. Even areas not under water would also be affected, with salt water from the Mediterranean contaminating the fresh ground water from the River Nile River used to water ctrops. "We are going underwater,” Maged Shamdy, told the Guardian newspaper. “It's like an occupation, the rising sea will conquer our lands,” the 34 year old farmer said. The rising waters could also wipe out the sandy beaches that attract thousands of tourists to the country every year. Also at risk would be the buried treasures archaeologists are still uncovering in ancient Alexandria, once the second most important city in the Roman Empire.

The World Bank also has ‘catastrophic’ predictions. It says a rise of 3.3 feet (one meter) would flood a quarter of the Delta, forcing about 10.5% of Egypt's population from their homes. This would be hard enough, but more so, if as expected, Egypt's population doubles to about 160 million by the middle of the century. The Delta is already densely packed with about 4,000 people per square mile. "The Delta is a kind of Bangladesh story," said Dr Rick Tutwiler, director of the American University in Cairo's Desert Development Centre. "You've got a massive population, overcrowding, a threat to all natural resources from the pressure of all the people, production, pollution, cars and agricultural chemicals.”

By Hayley Jarvis for SOS Children