Coastal development and climate risk reduction in the Persian/Arabian Gulf: The case of qatar

Climate change and climate variability represent serious regional challenges for the
countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This highly arid region has
experienced high socioeconomic growth in recent decades, mainly along the coasts.
The impacts of climate change on coastal development are tangible. Vital coastal
infrastructure of many of the GCC countries, such as refineries, power plants, agricultural schemes, and desalination systems, will be negatively affected. Reduced
rainfall, greater seasonal temperature variability, sea-level rise, and loss of agricultural production are some expected consequences, as are increased migration
pressures. Vulnerable marine ecosystems in the region are vital for food security,
recreation, and cultural identity. Most of the heavily populated cities of the region
are situated along coasts, and development projects and urban expansion through
land reclamation are pushing coastlines further out to sea and increasing future
climatic risks