By Henry Fountain
Drawing one of the strongest links (click here) yet between global warming and human conflict, researchers said Monday that an extreme drought in Syria between 2006 and 2009 was most likely due to climate change, and that the drought was a factor in the violent uprising that began there in 2011.
The drought was the worst in the country in modern times, and in a study published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists laid the blame for it on a century-long trend toward warmer and drier conditions in the Eastern Mediterranean, rather than on natural climate variability.
The researchers said this trend matched computer simulations of how the region responds to increases in greenhouse-gas emissions, and appeared to be due to two factors: a weakening of winds that bring moisture-laden air from the Mediterranean and hotter temperatures that cause more evaporation.
Colin P. Kelley, the lead author of the study, said he and his colleagues found that while Syria and the rest of the region known as the Fertile Crescent were normally subject to periodic dry periods, “a drought this severe was two to three times more likely” because of the increasing aridity in the region....
Restoration of lands is a very interesting thing. It starts with man made remedies such as dams, water aquifers, water pipelines and irrigation. The restoration starts small and as Earth recovers itself with the return of water vapor to the air, the land comes back to life again.
Syria needs very good and dedicated AND EXCEPTIONALLY LEARNED scientists and hydrologists. The United Nations Climate Change Panel has such scientists. They can begin to restore the biotic content in Syria as well as create jobs for Syrians.
The effort will be lengthy at first because the air is so very dry it takes some time before the return of water vapor. There is nothing to say Syrians cannot return to their cities and towns once a supply of water is provided. The people are all a part of that restoration in returning regular use of water.
The Climate Crisis should have taught those that ignored it, prevention is far, far better and far less expensive then restoration ever could be.
It is rather difficult to accomplish with war continuing. It is why the UN has to be successful in establishing a power sharing agreement between those at conflict. Certainly these leaders don't want to continue the absence of Syrians from their land. It is where they belong and where they are the happiest. None of the leaders to the power sharing structure should be delaying agreements.
Syria does not need more war. It desperately needs more peace.
