Experts discuss climate change effects on Red Sea marine life

The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden (PERSGA) in cooperation with the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment organized a workshop on the sidelines of the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-18) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Doha, Qatar. The COP-18 session began on Nov. 26 and ends today (Dec. 7).
Experts from PERSGA member countries, the United Nations Environment Program, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change spoke at the workshop on ways for marine life to adapt to the effects of climate change in seas and oceans.
PERSGA Secretary-General Ziyad Abu Gharara said the workshop discussed the organization’s as well as Red Sea and Gulf of Aden countries’ experiences, efforts and programs aimed at preparing how to deal with the possible effects of climate change and mitigate these effects on human beings, the environment and development.
The workshop also discussed adaptation efforts and related activities, such as carrying out studies to assess climate change effects, determining adaptation measures to be taken, training and building the abilities required to implement adaptation means and attracting the funding needed for them.
Gharara said that organizing this workshop at the international event mainly aimed to underline the efforts of the countries in the region in terms of mitigating the possible effects of climate change as well as to recognize the views of international experts and organizations on the level of efficiency of the countries’ existing and future measures and policies.
During the workshop, the distinctiveness and richness of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden marine environments were reviewed. Both environments possess a unique biological diversity including large coral reefs, mangroves and sea grasses. These resources can be used in implementing low-cost means to adapt to climate change, protect shores and support fish resources in the region.