The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ United Nations weather agency, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), has delivered a grim notice: the Middle East is heating faster than the rest of the world. In its inaugural “State of the Climate in the Arab Region” report, WMO disclosed that 2024 was the hottest year in the region, with the average temperatures rising at nearly double the global average. The increase is quite dramatic: the regional average temperature in 2024 was 1.08 °C above the 1991–2020 baseline, and a few countries, for instance, Algeria, saw temperature increases of up to 1.64 °C over the last three decades.

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Heatwaves, Droughts, and Extreme Weather on the Rise

The report states that Middle East/North Africa heatwaves have become longer, more frequent, and more intense. In some countries, temperatures were well over 50 °C, which led to worries about human health, ecosystems, and economic stability.

At that time, very severe droughts, notably in western North Africa, had been the result of a succession of failed rainy seasons. Conversely, in some parts of the region, flash floods were brought on by abrupt heavy rains, thus demonstrating a sharp contrast between climate extremes.

The number of deaths attributed to extreme weather events exceeded 300 in 2024 alone, and the total number of people affected was close to 3.8 million.

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Why the Middle East is Especially Vulnerable

Scientists say that the Middle East and North Africa presently encompass some of the hottest and driest areas on the planet. Due to the limited vegetation and dry soils, the natural cooling process through moisture evaporation is very inefficient, making the region particularly vulnerable to fast warming.

Besides, projections for a high greenhouse gas-emission scenario indicate that certain areas in the region, mainly the inland parts of the Arabian Peninsula, could be warmer by 3-4 °C even several decades ahead of most other places. There are some models that predict the temperature to rise by as much as 9 °C by the year 2100.

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Urgent Need for Adaptation and Mitigation

According to the WMO, substantial and prompt expenditures are needed to enable the area to adjust to the changing conditions. They include measures to expand access to water security measures, such as desalination, wastewater recycling, and irrigation system upgrades. The organization also suggests that the use of multi-hazard early-warning systems should be extended in order to provide support for communities facing extreme weather.

If the world does not make a significant cut in its emissions and there is no swift action to adapt in the Middle East, the region will face increasing emergencies, ranging from heat-related health problems and water shortages to desertification, loss of biodiversity, and risks to food security and livelihoods. UN warns Middle East is heating faster than the rest of the world, highlighting that the consequences may be more severe and sooner than many ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌anticipate.

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