In a Siege of Salt and Sand, climate change’s impact on Tunisia is discussed in depth, showing the impact on not only Tunisia, but the Middle East as a whole. The Middle East is in a lopsided war against the deserts of the region, as well as the rising sea levels, both of which threaten the amount of usable land. The Middle East’s climate has put the states there in precarious positions, and if measures are not done to prevent climate change, then the region is doomed.
The increasing desertification is a massive issue for farmland in the Middle East. Tunisia for example faces a massive crisis where the Sahara Desert could cover most of the usable farmland of the country in the span of a few decades. If this happens, the nation will have various difficulties farming anything, as sand is incompatible with farming crops or livestock. Water is also very hard to find on the surface, and pumping out groundwater is expensive and inaccessible. The implications of this are obviously bleak, for if Tunisia cannot reduce the desertification effects or get water, they will not be able to export any of their crops, or grow any of their own food supply, putting their economy into severe debt. In addition, the lack of food would also create a tense situation with their population, as a government that leaves people hungry is not one that will last long. The increasing amount of sand combined with the lack of usable freshwater is killing the Middle East’s agriculture.
The rising sea levels also pose an issue for the Middle East, as the salination of coastal areas and the erosion of coastlines are forcing people to move. Tunisia has this issue, where many of their coastal areas are facing high amounts of salination of the coastal soil because of the rising tides. This kills off many of the trees or orchards near the coast, not only shutting down food, but killing the roots that hold some coastlines together. The rising and warming waters of the Mediterranean Sea are also killing off the fish population, further limiting Tunisian food supplies and export potential. Erosion is also affecting many towns and islands, as Tunisians are forced to move their businesses and homes back from the coast because of tides and the potential property damage that comes from water. The rising tides have caused numerous problems to Tunisian coastlines, which also applies to other areas of the region.
Tunisia’s battles with the water and desert are a striking example of what the Middle East is dealing with. While climate change is thought of as a tertiary problem for the Middle East, it could be the one that does the most damage to the region, as states without food and water cannot exist long without revolutions or exoduses.
Citation:
A Siege of Salt and Sand from stmcneil on Vimeo.
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