Climate change vulnerability of Kuwait: a cross-sectoral assessment

Abstract

Climate change is expected to be severe in many countries, mainly in arid countries such as Kuwait. Thus, assessing the vulnerability of these countries is fundamental in designing mitigation and adaptation plans. In this study, a qualitative approach was used to conduct a climate change vulnerability assessment (CCVA) targeting Kuwait’s most impacted sectors: marine and fisheries, water resources, land management, and health. Increasing sea surface temperature and seawater salinity significantly affect the marine and fisheries sectors; the consequences are very complicated and interconnected with water resources. Mitigation and adaptation options to these stressors are minimal. In the land management sector, establishing adaptive land-use policies will minimize the impact of sea-level rise, land degradation, and floods. Increasing dust storm events and heat waves have a diverse effect on public health. The CCVA framework efficiently revealed the interrelationships among the studied sectors and can be applied to design CCVAs for other countries.