The UAE is set to experience more frequent and severe weather events due to global warming, according to Dr. Diana Francis, Senior Research Scientist and Head of the ENGEOS Lab at Khalifa University. In an interview with Khaleej Times, Dr. Francis explained that the UAE will see increased rainfall during spring and longer, hotter summers.
“Extreme events are actually expected to increase in frequency annually. This means that in the coming decades, these events will be happening more frequently than we used to see in the past,” Dr. Francis stated. She linked the heavy rains on April 16 directly to global warming effects, referencing findings from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Dr. Francis’ recent research paper, ‘Recent and projected changes in climate patterns in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’, outlines how rising equatorial heat is shifting atmospheric patterns. “Countries in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula, like the UAE, will experience more rainfall during Spring, and summers will be extended by a few days with an increase in temperature,” she highlighted.
Addressing adaptation strategies, Dr. Francis emphasized the importance of international cooperation and data sharing to combat the enduring challenge of global warming. She also noted the critical role of scientific research in developing resilient strategies for infrastructure and community preparedness.
“This is a global problem and doesn’t stop at any border. It’s really important that each country, region, continent, and even internationally, cooperation must exist, and knowledge and data sharing should happen,” Dr. Francis concluded.