Climate change poses a significant threat to Kuwait, a small country in West Asia with a total area of 17,818 km2. The country largely consists of arid desert environments and to a lesser extent, coastal areas and wetlands. Kuwait has some of the world's driest and warmest summers with average temperatures falling at around 46.2 degrees Celsius. Kuwait is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, which pose many risks to the country's infrastructure, ecosystems, water resources and agricultural development. Kuwait has implemented several mitigation and adaptation strategies and is part of the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) that looks to address climate risks and engage in sustainable solutions.
Kuwait has signed and ratified the Paris Agreement and updated its first Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2021.
Impacts on the natural environment For more information see also Environmental issues in Kuwait
Greenhouse gas emissions As with all countries globally, greenhouse gas emissions in Kuwait have increased rapidly since the 1990s. Kuwait is the 48th largest emitter of greenhouse gasses and the energy industry is the biggest emitter. From 1990 to 2021 emissions have increased by 4.3%. In terms of per capita, Kuwait produces 34.2 tons of CO2 per person and place 2nd out of 191 countries.
Majority of CO2 emissions in Kuwait come from electricity production (57%), followed by transport (18%), and oil and gas industries (11%).State of Kuwait. Nationally Determined Contributions: State of Kuwait, 2021. https://epa.gov.kw/Portals/0/PDF/KuwaitNDCEN.pdf. Its methane emissions come from solid waste disposal (64%) and wastewater treatment and discharge (18%). When all greenhouse gas emissions are calculated, emissions from the production of electricity and desalinated water related to the combustion of natural gas, and petroleum products have the highest percentage of contributions about 58 percent. While the government has proposed no oil production restrictions between 2020 and 2035, it has stated that it is working towards sustainable economic development through diversifying energy sources and technology.
Temperature changes Climate Change is severely affecting Kuwait's average temperatures. There has been a sharp increase in higher-than-average temperatures during the summer months, reaching temperatures of 53 and 54 degrees Celsius, some of the highest in the world. Predictions indicate that these high temperatures are highly likely to occur more frequently and more intensely.
These over 50-degree days have been recorded for 64 days between 2010 and 2021 as compared to only 18 days over a 40-year time frame between the 1960s and 2000s. The last ten years have seen the greatest frequency and intensity of high temperatures. The Alahmad et al. 2020 study illustrates that certain populations are more vulnerable to intense temperatures than others. The study found that often non-Kuwaiti workers are exposed to higher heat due to taking on more demanding work.
Kuwait also suffers from numerous weather-related crises such as sand and dust storms and flash floods. Thus, it established Environmental Protection Law in 2014, and Article (118) states the needs to prepare emergency plans and crises and natural disasters management plan.
Water resources Kuwait is an incredibly arid climate and therefore, is already a water-scarce country. The majority of Kuwait's water falls between November and February. The changes in precipitation and increase in heat due to climate change puts the country in risk of desertification. Kuwait's water resources come primarily from desalinization of water and the recycling of wastewater. Desalinization of water produces 61% of the drinking and agriculture in Kuwait.
Ecosystems Kuwait is home to a diversity of ecosystems including wetlands, deserts, and coastal areas that are all under threat due to climate change. In general, desert ecosystems are some of the most highly vulnerable and unpredictable landscapes to climate change and ecosystems. This is because shifts in temperature and precipitation can significantly affect the delicate ecosystem in place.
The Persian Gulf is a habitat for a various species that adapted to live in harsh environmental stresses in terms of warm and high saline condition. The Gulf has coral reefs and their associated fish and algal species, mangroves, and seabed grasses as the main ecosystems in this environment. The shallowness of water, the high salinity, and the extreme seasonal variations in water temperatures are considered to be the major stressors for coral reefs in the Persian Gulf.
Climate change's weather extremities are causing an increase in desertification and has contributed to a loss of biodiversity. As desertification increases and water quantity decreases, there are changes in soil quality, microbial organisms and the ecosystem becomes inhospitable for certain species. Already a country with very few vegetation covers, climate change is increasing land degradation and causing further vegetation loss. Fewer than 10% of perennials cover Kuwait.
Impacts on people See also Economy of Kuwait
Agriculture Kuwait is a desert, water-scarce country with limited agricultural productivity to begin with. The main crops Kuwaiti farmers grow are fodder crops and some vegetables. The already limited bandwidth that Kuwait has in terms of farming and crop outputs is being further reduced due to climate change, pollution, and oil production. Substantial decreases in precipitation and worsening droughts, increased frequency and severity of dust storms and natural hazards, and sea level rise all pose threats to Kuwait's agriculture. The salinity of groundwater continues to increase due to climate change impacts, which is not conducive to soil management and agricultural productivity.
Oil Oil is a major industry in Kuwait, making up 50% of its GDP, 94% of export revenues, and 90% of government income. Despite clear economic benefits to oil production, Kuwait is experiencing a host of negative environmental impacts, such as major air pollution, loss of animal species, contaminated soil, and water pollution. Kuwait put efforts into boosting its economy rather than addressing environmental concerns after the Oil Fires of 1991, which have led to permanent air and water pollution, animal extinctions, and human health issues. With a lack of technological, social, and political resources, climate change in Kuwait continues to worsen, and its dependency on oil drilling has only increased.
Renewable energy Based on its 2021 NDC update, Kuwait plans to reduce emissions by 7.4% by 2035. To do this, a number of laws were passed focused on emissions limitations. The Environmental Protection Act of 2014 was revised to protect natural resources, control pollution, and put a large emphasis on human health. The Environmental Protection Law promotes the use of energy-saving systems and develops new environmental strategies in the interest of increasing energy efficiency and decreasing consumption.
As of 2022, Kuwait's overall energy mix consisted primarily of oil (50.6%) and natural gas (49.3%) and a nominal fraction of wind, solar, and other renewables (0.1%). Although wind and solar power have become more popular globally, Kuwait's heavy economic reliance on oil companies impedes it from veering away from non-renewables and diversifying energy production. After the Paris Agreement, natural gas subsidies were put in place in hopes of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2020. Additionally, the Kuwaiti government passed legislation for a goal of 15% of total energy production to be from renewable sources by 2030.
To reach this goal, Kuwait constructed the Shagaya Renewable Energy Park 60 miles from Kuwait City in 2019. The power plant includes wind turbines and solar capacity, leveraging new research and developing energy innovations.
Based on the 2022 figures, however, Kuwait is not on track to meet its renewable energy goals.
Sea level rise Warming temperatures due to climate change have caused sea levels to rise in coastal areas. Sea level rise has negative effects on both the environment and economy in Kuwait. Research shows that salinization of freshwater reduces plant growth and crop yields, increases soil salinity, and limits the growth of native plants. Studies suggest this leads to poor agricultural productivity, less fresh drinking water, ecosystem degradation, and biodiversity loss.
Kuwait witnessed rapid urbanization and population growth, primarily in its coastal zones. Flooding in coastal communities leads to infrastructure and housing damage, as well as saltwater intrusion, which threatens fish habitats and weakens the fishing industry. Potentially, the entire coastal zone could be affected by sea level rise. This could mean that 1% of the population may be forced to move to new areas, creating a housing loss that may cost 11.1 billion dollars by 2100.
Fisheries Fisheries used to be a major economic industry for Kuwait before the oil companies were established. Currently, products from fisheries are still the second largest exports behind oil exports, consisting of two main sectors: the shrimp and artisanal multi-species fisheries and the multi-gear fisheries. Since 2013, however, Kuwait has seen a major decrease in fishery employment, declining from 3,500 reported employees in 2013 to 370 reported employees in 2015. Worsening environmental degradation and major water pollution in Kuwait since the rise of the oil industry explains these employment patterns.
Tourism While tourism is not a major economic industry for Kuwait, the country has still seen rising numbers of visitors in the past 30 years. In 2019, the number of tourists coming to Kuwait was six times the number of tourists in 1995. While this increase has the potential to help the country economically and socially, the environmental impacts have been substantial. Due to infrastructure growth, increased commercial production, transportation, and accommodations for tourist activities, energy consumption in Kuwait increased by 80% from 1995 to 2019. This heightened energy demand has led to increased pollution, waste production, and greenhouse gas emissions, which Kuwait has been trying to curb since the early 2000s.
Health There are major human health problems associated with pollution, which is a serious issue in Kuwait. Air pollution creates a lack of clean air, increases the spread of disease, and promotes lung issues. Extreme heat has major complications for those who are continually exposed to it, with 13.6% of deaths in Kuwait being heat-related. In 2019, a total of 33,472 people died from the extreme heat in Kuwait. This statistic is predicted to increase by over 15% if current climate patterns continue. Additionally, water pollution and salinization create a lack of clean water for drinking. Water scarcity and thirst often force people to consume contaminated water, which leads to illnesses and the rapid spread of diseases. Lastly, decreases in food production due to poor agriculture and a weakened fishing industry could lead to food insecurity in Kuwait.
Impacts on migration