Lesson video

Hi, geographers.

My name's Ms. Hoggett, and I'm really excited that you're here to learn some geography with me today.

I'm sure if you try your best, you're going to be absolutely fantastic.

Don't worry too much if you haven't studied this topic before.

I'm here to help you every step of the way.

The title for today's lesson is "Climate Change and Environmental Challenges in the Middle East," and this sits within the unit, "The Middle East: How have natural resources shaped the Middle East?" Our learning outcome for today is that I can explain how climate change affects the Middle East.

To help us through today's lesson, there are a number of keywords that are going to be really useful to us.

Climate change, desertification, and water scarcity.

Climate change is the large-scale and long-term change in the planet's climate, including weather patterns and average temperatures.

Desertification is the process by which semi-arid land becomes drier and turns into desert, and water scarcity is when there is not enough fresh water resources to meet the needs in a given area.

So climate change, desertification, and water scarcity are going to be really useful to us in today's lesson.

This lesson is split into two learning cycles, impacts of climate change and responses to climate change.

We are going to start with the first learning cycle now, impacts of climate change.

Climate change is the large-scale and long-term change in the planet's climate, including weather patterns and average temperatures.

Earth is currently at an interglacial period, so we expect to see warmer than average temperatures.

An interglacial period is a natural warm phase that happens between ice ages.

During these times, the Earth's climate is generally milder with higher average temperatures and melting ice sheets.

These warm periods can last for thousands of years, and we are now in one that began 11,000 years ago, after the last ice age ended.

Although it's normal for the Earth to go through warmer and colder periods, scientists have found that temperatures have been rising much faster in recent years than they would naturally.

This suggests that human activity is contributing to climate change.

So while being in an interglacial period explains why we expect warmer temperatures right now, it doesn't fully explain the extreme rates of warming we're seeing today.

That's why it's important that we distinguish between natural climate change and humans-caused climate change.

Now, climate change can be caused by lots of different things, including lots of physical factors, so that means natural factors that we can't control, but these can include things like volcanic eruptions.

When a volcano erupts, it can release huge amounts of ash and gases like sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere.

This ash can block sunlight from reaching the Earth's surface, which can cause the planet to cool down for a short period of time.

Another physical factor is Milankovitch cycles, and these are long-term changes in the way the Earth moves around the sun.

They include changes in the Earth's orbit, tilt, and wobble of its axis.

These cycles affect how much sunlight different parts of the Earth receive, which can lead to natural periods of warming or cooling over tens of thousands of years.

Milankovitch cycles have helped trigger ice ages in the past, and our last example is sun spots.

These are dark patches on the surface of the sun that's shown when the sun is more active than usual.

When there are more sun spots, the sun gives off slightly more energy.

This can warm the Earth a little bit.

Although the effect is small, changes in solar activity can influence the Earth's climate over time, but there are also human factors that can influence climate change as well, such as farming.

As farming can produce greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide from animals and fertilisers, but also burning fossil fuels as this releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, but not to forget deforestation as well.

Because when there is a reduced number of trees that can absorb carbon dioxide, this can also contribute to climate change.

So there's both physical and human factors that can lead to climate change.

As a result of increased amounts of human-generated carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, Earth has become warmer.

Scientists say that the planet is now about 1.

5 degrees Celsius warmer than it was in pre-industrial times.

The term pre-industrial times refers to the period before the large scale industries and factories became common.

Since then, humans have burned huge amounts of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas to power machines, vehicles, and electricity.

This has released large quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

These greenhouse gases act like a blanket around the Earth.

They trap heat from the sun that would normally escape back into space.

This process is called the enhanced greenhouse effect.

While the natural greenhouse effect keeps our planet warm enough to live on, adding more gases has made this layer thicker, causing more heat to stay in the atmosphere and warm the planet too much.

So even though 1.

5 degree Celsius may not sound like a big deal, it's already made a notable impact on our climate.

Glaciers and ice sheets are melting faster.

Sea levels are rising, and we are seeing more extreme weather events like heat waves, floods, and wildfires.

Warmer oceans also affect wildlife and weather systems around the world.

The graph on the screen here shows how temperatures might rise even more by the year 21,000, depending on how much CO2 we keep putting into the air.

So there's different scenarios that have been predicted.

If we burn a lot of fossil fuels, temperatures could rise by 2.

5 degrees Celsius to over four degrees Celsius above levels from 1950.

Only the lowest emission paths show a chance of us keeping the rise to under 1.

5 degrees Celsius.

This suggests that we need to act quickly to reduce emissions and reduce further warming.

The Middle East is one of the regions in the world that is expected to be heavily affected by climate change.

Scientists predict that the area will experience much hotter summers in the future with temperatures rising above what is already considered normal.

At the same time, the region is likely to receive less rainfall overall.

This combination of rising temperatures and reduced precipitation will make the climate drier and more extreme.

As a result of this, the Middle East will face more frequent and severe heat waves with temperature soaring well above 40 degrees Celsius in some areas.

This can be dangerous for people's health as it puts extra pressure on things like air conditioning and water supplies.

Droughts will also become more common, meaning that rivers and lakes could dry up and farmers might struggle to grow crops.

This threatens food security and could lead to rising food prices.

In addition, the lack of rain may increase the risk of wildfires, especially in dry forested or grassy areas.

On the other hand, when rain does fall, it could happen in shorter, more intense bursts, which could lead to flash flooding in towns and cities that are not prepared for sudden heavy rainfall.

So overall, the impact of climate change in the Middle East is likely to lead to a more extreme weather pattern affecting both the environment and the way people live.

So we're going to check what we've learned so far.

I'd like you to find and correct the three mistakes in Alex's statement.

Alex says, the Middle East is likely to see temperature decreases during the summer months and an increase in the amount of precipitation.

This will lead to less extreme weather in the region.

So find the three mistakes and correct them.

Pause the video and do so now.

Well done for giving that a good go.

Let's see whether you are able to find the three mistakes and correct them.

So for our first one, we should say the Middle East is likely to see temperature increases during the summer months and a decrease in the amount of precipitation.

This will lead to more extreme weather in the region.

Well done if you've got all of those spots on.

Now, climate change has already had a significant impact on natural resources in the Middle East, such as water, vegetation, and food.

Many countries in the Middle East are experiencing water scarcity.

This is when there is not enough fresh water resources to meet the needs in a given area.

On this world map, we can see all of the countries that are impacted by water stress, stress and shortage, and shortage on its own.

Now, what we can see is that all the Middle Eastern countries are experiencing water shortage and or water stress.

So we can see there's a big issue.

This means that major rivers that run through the Middle East are drying up, such as the Tigris and the Euphrates.

Research shows that the amount of water stored in the rivers decreased by 0.

93 millimetres per month from 2002 to 2017.

It was determined that 2/3 of this water loss was due to changes in the climate.

Now, the Tigris and the Euphrates are two of the most important rivers in the Middle East.

They provide water for drinking, farming, and electricity generation for millions of people in countries like Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.

However, over recent years, this has been shrinking, and this has impacted really heavily on the population.

Whilst 0.

93 three millimetres may not sound like a lot because it's less than a millimetre, over time, it adds up to a huge water loss, especially for countries already facing really dry conditions.

Research shows that 2/3 of the water loss was caused by climate change.

Rising temperatures have led to less rainfall and faster evaporation, meaning that water disappears more quickly from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.

Snow in mountain regions, which is an important water source for these rivers, is also melting earlier and faster, reducing the amount of water flowing into the rivers during summer when it's most needed.

This is obviously creating a serious issue because water is essential for life.

As rivers dry up, farmers struggle to grow crops, people have less access to clean water, and tensions can rise between countries that share water sources.

It shows how climate change isn't just about temperature.

It's also about the resources we depend on every single day, and they can have huge impacts on our lives.

Also, food sausages are a challenge in the Middle East, particularly in countries such as Syria and Iraq.

The hot and dry climate means that it's difficult to irrigate many crops, which means farmers cannot always produce enough food for the population.

But conflict also makes this harder as farmland is damage and supply chains are disrupted, which means people are forced to flee their homes.

Partly as a result of climate change, Some places have to import many of their food resources from elsewhere.

Sam says between 2018 and 2022, Kuwait imported over 90% of its food from other countries.

That is a hugely significant figure.

So true or false, climate change has negatively impacted resources in the Middle East.

Pause the video and have a go at answering this question.

Well done if you said true.

We know that climate change in the Middle East has put pressure on water, food, and plant resources, but climate change also impacts directly on people.

Climate change makes some places harder to live in, so people may decide that they need to migrate.

For example, rural farmers may decide to move back to the city in search of work and basic resources if their crops are failing and they can't make money.

Climate change can also aggravate conflict in the Middle East where there is an increasing competition over limited natural resources like water and farmland.

As droughts become more frequent and rivers like the Tigris and Euphrates dry up, there is less water available for drinking, farming, and electricity.

This can lead to tensions between countries such as Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, which all depend on the same rivers.

So we're going to practise what we've learned in learning cycle one, and I would like you to complete both parts to practise task A.

Firstly, I'd like you to explain how climate change has impacted on natural resources in the Middle East.

And for the second question, I would like you to explain how climate change has impacted on people in the Middle East.

Pause the video and have a go at completing both parts to this practise task now.

Well done for giving that a good go, geographers.

Let's check through what you might have put into your answer.

Climate change has had a big impact on resources in the Middle East.

The region is already very hot and dry, but rising temperatures and less rainfall have made it even harder to find enough water.

Rivers like the Tigris and Euphrates are drying up, which means there is less water for farming, drinking, and producing electricity.

This also affects food because, without water, crops can't grow properly.

Some places are having more drought, which damage farmland and reduce the amount of food people can grow.

All of this means that important resources like water, food, and energy are becoming scarcer across the Middle East.

Well done if you manage to include all of those ideas within your answer.

For question two, we needed to think about how climate change is impacted on people in the Middle East.

So your answer may have included, climate change has had a big impact on people in the Middle East.

As the weather gets hotter and there is less rainfall, it has become harder to grow food and find clean water.

This means some people can no longer live in remote rural places and are forced to migrate to cities or even other countries to find work, food, and shelter.

Climate change can also lead to conflict because people start disagreeing over how to manage and distribute limited resources like water and farmland.

For example, countries like Iraq, Syria, and Turkey all rely on the same rivers, which can cause arguments and tensions.

In places where there is already poverty or war, climate change can make life even harder and increase the chances of conflict.

So we can see that climate change, particularly in the Middle East, has really significant impacts on the people who live there.

Well done if you manage to cover all those key ideas.

We're now ready to move on to landing cycle two, looking at the responses to climate change.

The impacts have told us there were significant challenges, so now we need to think about how they're overcoming them.

Now, reducing the impact of climate change around the world is important to promoting a sustainable future.

Sustainable means that something can continue for a long time.

While some resources are at risk, countries in the Middle East are also using those resources to respond to climate change.

So that can include things like sunlight, vegetation, metals, oil, gas, water and minerals.

So yes, they're impacted, but they can also be part of the solution.

So which of these is not a natural resource? Is it A, oil, B, plastic, or C, water? Pause the video and have a go answering this question.

Well done if you said B, plastic.

That's absolutely spot on.

In the past, Middle Eastern countries have relied heavily on fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, to make money.

However, burning fossil fuels is a leading contributor to climate change.

Therefore, many countries are now moving away from this resource and are making money on electricity from renewable resources such as sunlight.

To do this, countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are building huge solar farms like you can see in the image on the screen.

This is the Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park in Dubai, and it's really big to the point where we can even see it on the satellite image.

Now, another resource that's scarce is water, but seawater is abundant because there are really large coastlines.

Some countries such as the United Arab Emirates are therefore investing in desalination to turn sea water into drinking water.

Some desalination plants even use solar power, and this makes the process more sustainable because they're using sunlight to power that desalination plant.

Pause the video now and have a read through of the image so you can understand how desalination works.

Now, as rivers such as the Tigris and the Euphrates are shrinking, farmers are now thinking of strategies to try and conserve this water.

One strategy is drip irrigation, and this is used when farming to try and save water and reduce waste.

Drought-resistant crops are also being grown to ensure they survive the hotter and drier climate.

This includes traditional crops, such as the date palm.

And to prevent soil erosion, some countries are planting trees to restore the land and the vegetation.

This slows down the process of desertification, which is the process whereby fertile land becomes desert, and this is a huge challenge in the Middle East.

So planting trees helps to fight climate change because trees take in carbon dioxide from the air and store it.

Now, which of these is not a more sustainable way of using resources in the Middle East? Is it A, using sunlight to generate solar energy, B, planting drought-resistant crops, C, desalinating sea water for drinking, or D, burning fossil fuels for energy? Pause the video and have a go at answering this question.

Well done if you said burning fossil fuels for energy.

We know that burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, therefore contributing to climate change.

So we know it's not a more sustainable way of using their resources.

So we are now going to practise what you've learned in learning cycle two about how natural resources are being used to fight climate change in the Middle East.

And I'd like you to answer this question.

How are natural resources important in the fight against climate change in the Middle East? Remember to refer to natural resources such as sunlight, vegetation, metals, oil, gas, water, and minerals within your answer.

pause the video now, geographers, and give this a really good go.

Well done for putting lots of effort into your answer.

Let's check what you could have said.

So, natural resources in the Middle East can play a big role in helping to fight climate change.

For example, the region gets a lot of sunshine all year round, which makes it perfect for producing renewable energy using solar panels to collect solar energy.

Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are building large solar farms to reduce their use of fossil fuels like oil and gas, which cause pollution and increase global warming.

Vegetation is also useful in combating climate change, drought-resistant crops such as date palms are grown in desert areas as they don't need much water to survive.

Vegetation helps to strengthen soil, which reduces the risk of desertification, and vegetation also acts as a carbon store.

By using crops that can grow in dry conditions, farmers can continue to produce crops without using too much water, which is becoming more limited due to climate change.

Lastly, the Middle East is also using its access to the sea to overcome the issues around water scarcity in the region.

Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are investing in desalination, which is the process of turning sea water into fresh water.

This helps provide clean drinking water in areas where rainfall is low and rivers are drying up.

Some desalination plants even use solar power, which makes the process more sustainable.

So well done, geographers, if you managed to include lots of those key ideas in your answer, it's really important to recognise that whilst natural resources are vulnerable to climate change, they can also be really useful in the fight against it.

So that brings us to the end of our lesson looking at climate change and environmental challenges in the Middle East.

And to summarise what we've learned today, climate change is impacting the Middle East, making the region hotter and drier.

Natural resources such as vegetation, food, and water are impacted by climate change.

Climate change can lead to desertification and water scarcity, and natural resources can be key in overcoming the challenges of climate change within the Middle East.

Well done for putting in a really good amount of effort into today's lesson, geographers.

You've been brilliant, and I look forward to seeing you soon in our next lesson.