How climate change is devastating the Mediterranean

Arab News

4 days ago

https://arab.news/nced7
The Mediterranean region has been engulfed by a wave of wildfires unlike anything seen in recent history. From the lush hills of southern Turkiye to the coastal mountains of Syria and from the sun-drenched countryside of France to Greece, vast stretches of land have gone up in flames.
Dense forests and wildlife reserves have been destroyed. Hundreds of homes and businesses have been reduced to ash. Thousands of people have been displaced and dozens have lost their lives, while emergency services are pushed to their limits, battling fires day and night in conditions made worse by soaring temperatures and dry, gusty winds.
The scale and speed of the devastation are unprecedented — and they are not accidental. These fires are not just a tragic coincidence of weather and chance. They are the direct, undeniable consequence of a world whose climate is changing rapidly and dangerously.
The Mediterranean basin has been identified by climate scientists as one of the most vulnerable areas in the world to the impacts of global warming. The region has already warmed by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to preindustrial levels — higher than the global average — and it is warming at a rate approximately 20 percent faster than the rest of the planet. This temperature rise has led to longer, more intense heat waves, reduced rainfall, prolonged droughts and lower soil moisture — all of which create the ideal conditions for wildfires to ignite, spread and burn uncontrollably.
If no serious action is taken, the consequences for the Mediterranean — and indeed the world — will be catastrophic
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh
If no serious action is taken, the consequences for the Mediterranean — and indeed the world — will be catastrophic. The ecological damage alone is staggering: centuries-old forests and diverse ecosystems are being erased in days. Plant and animal species that have survived in delicate balance for millennia are being wiped out by fire. Soil fertility is also being destroyed, increasing the risk of floods and landslides once rain returns.
The economic costs are equally daunting. Tourism, which makes up a major portion of gross domestic product in countries like Greece, Italy and Turkiye, suffers severe blows as travelers avoid fire-stricken areas. Agriculture, already reeling from drought, loses even more ground as farmland turns to ash. And the long-term health effects on populations exposed to smoke and heat cannot be underestimated — respiratory diseases, heat strokes and other medical emergencies are on the rise across the region.
If wildfires of this scale continue to occur — or worse, increase in frequency and intensity — we will be looking at a future marked by constant crisis. Millions could become climate refugees, forced to abandon their homes in search of safer areas. Governments will struggle to maintain basic services under the pressure of repeated evacuations and reconstruction costs. Entire industries may collapse and, with them, the livelihoods of millions of people. The Mediterranean could transition from a cradle of civilization and cultural tourism into a zone of devastation and abandonment.
So, what must be done? Mediterranean nations must first acknowledge the scale of the threat and act with urgency. Governments need to invest in reforestation programs using fire-resilient species, establish effective land management strategies that include the clearing of deadwood and brush, and develop national early warning systems that alert communities to rising fire risks.
These systems should include satellite data, ground-based sensors and communication networks that reach even remote villages. Urban planning also needs a complete overhaul. Building codes must be adapted to climate realities, especially in wildfire-prone zones. Emergency services need more funding, more training and more equipment — including the latest fire-fighting aircraft and surveillance technology. Public awareness campaigns should be launched to educate residents about fire prevention and emergency preparedness. Climate adaptation should not be a side policy. It must be at the core of national security and development strategies.
Climate adaptation should not be a side policy. It must be at the core of national security and development strategies
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh
But the burden of addressing this crisis cannot fall solely on the shoulders of Mediterranean nations. Climate change does not respect borders. It is a global challenge and it requires a global response. The international community must come together to support fire-stricken countries, not just with sympathy, but with resources, technology and policy coordination.
International aid organizations should establish rapid deployment units specifically trained for climate-related disasters. Universities and research institutions should collaborate across borders to develop better fire prediction models and drought management tools.
Wealthy nations, especially those in the Global North, have a moral responsibility to lead this effort. These countries are historically the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Their industries, economies and lifestyles have driven the very conditions now consuming the Mediterranean in flames. Justice demands that they help shoulder the cost of adaptation, mitigation and recovery.
Financial support is critical. Mediterranean countries, many of which are already struggling with debt and inflation, need grants rather than loans. They need access to international climate funds without the red tape and political obstacles that so often delay urgent help. Moreover, global powers should facilitate the transfer of green technology, including renewable energy solutions, which can help these countries reduce their own emissions and become more resilient to climate shocks. Every fire that is prevented, every square mile of forest that is saved, is a victory. Climate cooperation is not charity — it is self-preservation.
The fires currently burning in the Mediterranean are not just natural disasters. They are warnings. They are the Earth's way of screaming that something is profoundly wrong with the balance we have disrupted. They tell us what is to come if we continue down this path of inaction, delay and denial. In a sense, the Mediterranean is the canary in the coal mine. What is happening there today could happen elsewhere tomorrow — in California, in Australia, in the Amazon or in Central Africa. The climate crisis is global and the Mediterranean's pain is humanity's alarm bell.
In conclusion, the unprecedented wildfires sweeping across Turkiye, Syria, France and beyond are not isolated incidents. They are a direct result of human-driven climate change and they signal a dangerous new era in which fire becomes not an exception, but a permanent feature of Mediterranean life. Without immediate and coordinated action — both regionally and globally — the devastation will continue and the cost will grow higher with every passing year. The time for warnings is over and the time for action is now.