Oil and Environment Minister, Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Daina, chaired the meeting of the Sea Level Rise Committee devoted to discussing the outputs of the second phase of the draft adaptation plan for sea level rise, which was carried out in partnership with the consulting company, Arup.
The minister commended the efforts of the committee members and their constant cooperation with the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) to complete the strategic study of the kingdom.
He affirmed the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the keenness of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to implement projects and programmes aimed at adapting to the effects of climate change, especially the plan to adapt to sea level rise, which aims to enhance proactive measures to protect coastal areas in the Kingdom and raise the level of resilience in dealing with the effects of climate change.
Dr. Bin Daina indicated that the aim of the strategic study is to assess the effects of sea level rise in the post-2050 period, and propose an action plan to protect important infrastructure and tourist sites from the effects of sea level rise, according to a specific time plan.
The study recommended 190 work procedures along an area of about 140 kms of the Kingdom’s coasts in order to protect the sites and facilities expected to be affected by the phenomenon of sea level rise. It also proposed dividing the Kingdom’s coasts into units and classifying them according to the priority of work in each region.
The study included engineering recommendations and nature-based solutions, such as encouraging the cultivation of mangroves, which are capable of absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide, reducing wave energy, protecting beaches from erosion, stabilising soils and reducing soil degradation.
Source: Bahrain News Agency