Middle Eastern countries will be among the first in the world to be deemed unfit for human life, with studies showing that we could see the possibility of cities being completely wiped out by 2050.
The World Bank says extreme climatic conditions are becoming routine in the Middle East and the region could face up to 6 months of scorching sun every year. According to Germany's Max Planck Institute, many cities in the Middle East may literally become uninhabitable in the next 40-50 years!
This summer, several picturesque countries in the Middle East became tinderboxes. As extreme temperatures and severe droughts ravaged the region, forests burned, and cities became islands of unbearable heat. In June, Kuwait recorded a temperature of 53.2 degrees Celsius (127.76 degrees Fahrenheit), while Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia all recorded over 50 degrees (122 degrees). A month later, temperatures in Iraq spiked to 51.5 degrees (124.7 degrees), and Iran recorded a close 51 degrees (123.8 degrees).
Worst of all, this is just the start of a trend. The Middle East is warming at twice the global average and by 2050 will be 4 degrees Celsius warmer as compared with the 1.5 degree mark that scientists have prescribed to save humanity. Since the region is split between haves and have-nots, it is the poorer cousins of the oil-rich countries that have been the first to face social disorder over the lack of basic amenities, such as water and electricity, that people desperately need to survive the extreme heat. These countries are ruled by ineffective governments, autocrats, or clerics and have dilapidated energy infrastructure and deep-rooted structural deficiencies that block the promotion of and technological innovation in renewable energy. Experts say political and economic reforms that strengthen institutions and promote businesses to think freely are essential to reduce carbon emissions and ensure a shift to clean energy in the Middle East.
Greenhouse gas emissions have more than tripled in the region over the last three decades and caused concern among experts that a steep rise in temperatures on the one hand and lack of basic services on the other are making the region a more desperate and dangerous place. Europe is actively seeking to close its borders to those from the Middle East and their governments are well aware that the majority of the poor will die without significant investment in infrastructure. Yet it is only Sub-Saharan nations like Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia that are actively investing in the welfare of all of their people! The Middle East is facing a host of environmental challenges, including water scarcity, air pollution, waste management, and climate change, all of which require serious interventions from the government and scientific research community. In Iraq misting fans and showers are set up on pavements in outdoor markets, while street vendors selling ice cream, cold drinks or (of course) watermelon are seen on every corner in the city. Some Iraqis take a dip in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Children are taught what to do to stay cool and protect their lives with lists like the following: Drink plenty of water. Being hydrated is the best way to beat the heat. ...Close off the warmest rooms. There are probably rooms that are hotter in your house because they face the sun. ...Battery-powered fans. ...Take a cool shower or bath. ...Leave the house in the evening or before sunrise. ...Go for a swim. We know that not staying cool enough during summer can take its toll on you physically, but it can also damage your brain. Being in the heat outdoors or inside can make you feel a bit slow and sluggish. That's the case because the human brain starts to lose normal function once it's exposed to high temperatures. Architecture played a big role in keeping homes cool. By creating archways, large windows, and high ceilings, builders could funnel in outdoor breezes and create cross-ventilation.
Porches brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans built in the shade also gave people an area to cool off during the evening. slaves built porches onto their own homes and introduced the concept to their white owners. The influence of African architecture is strong in the Southern states of the USA including the wrought iron gates and fences and their influence also hit the Caribbean and Gulf Coast. The first time that the front porch overtly appeared in the European world was in Ancient Greece who learned from ancient Kemet (Called Egypt by Greeks) the influence extended to Rome, whose dwellings often "placed columned verandas as shaded walkways around an interior garden similar to the Kemetan poolside" Ancient Kemetan/Egyptian architecture is one of the most important aspects in Greek architecture because it was the first major influence on Greek architecture. Writing specifically had a huge impact on Greece, as the Kemetan African influenced Minoan Hieroglyphics was adopted by the Mainland Greeks, which became the first form of writing used by any Greek Civilization.
Like the ancients Architects are increasingly looking toward African building practices to combat global warming. The environmental concerns are driving home the need to change traditional architectural practices, materials and building codes so that they increase the likelihood of surviving extreme temperatures. As a result, there is a huge potential in the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries for sustainable innovations to combat the impending dangers of climate change.
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