Muscat: The findings come from the inaugural State of the Climate in the Arab Region 2024 report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which warns that the region is entering a climate era that is “simply too hot to handle” without urgent action.

According to the WMO, 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded in the Arab region, with the annual average temperature sitting 1.08°C above the 1991–2020 baseline. Heatwaves have grown longer and more intense across North Africa and the Near East, continuing a clear upward trend observed since 1981. Several countries crossed the 50°C mark, with devastating implications for human health, ecosystems and economic activity.

“Temperatures are rising at twice the global average… It is simply too hot to handle,” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said, adding that extended periods above 50°C are pushing communities and systems to their limits.

Drought conditions deepened in western North Africa, especially Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, after six consecutive failed rainy seasons. At the same time, arid countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE saw destructive flash floods and extreme rainfall, highlighting the region’s growing exposure to climate extremes.

In total, 3.8 million people were affected by extreme weather in 2024, with more than 300 deaths, primarily from heatwaves and flooding. The report warns that the real economic and human toll is “certainly underestimated.” The frequency of climate-related disasters has risen 83% between the periods 1980–1999 and 2000–2019.

With multi-hazard early warning systems more critical than ever, the report notes that while 60% of Arab states have such systems, higher than the global average, coverage remains insufficient for the escalating risks.

Amid severe water stress, several countries are accelerating investments in desalination, wastewater reuse, new dams and modern irrigation networks to strengthen long-term water security.

Crucially, the report integrates projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), warning that under high-emission scenarios, the region could see temperature increases of up to 5°C by 2100, alongside rising sea levels, decreasing rainfall and growing threats to food production.

“This report is both a snapshot and a strategic foresight tool,” said Rola Dashti, Executive Secretary of ESCWA. “It allows the region to prepare for tomorrow’s climate realities.”

League of Arab States Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit hailed the report as a “qualitative step” in understanding climate risk and its socio-economic implications, emphasising the need for coordinated regional action.

The publication marks the first dedicated State of the Climate report for the Arab region, drawing on data from National Meteorological Services, climate centres, UN agencies and scientific experts.