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The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), in a recent report presented at its meeting in Cairo, says that crop growing may become unsustainable in some areas as a result of the complex interactions of myriad factors.
It says maize yields in North Africa, for example, could fall by 15 to 25 per cent with a three degree centigrade rise in temperature.
Not that alarm bells had not rung out in the Arab world about climate change much before the FAO report. Realising the need to combat climate change the Arab world had indeed taken important strides towards the sustainability option, especially on the core issue of renewable energy.
The 19th session of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment witnessed the agreement of all Arab countries for the first time on the inclusion of policies to deal with climate change issues in all sectors.
The declaration further stressed the need for the production and use of cleaner fuels, improving the efficiency of energy use in all sectors, expanding the use of cleaner production techniques and environment friendly technologies.
Another important option was expanding the use of economic incentives to encourage more efficient products.
In this context Abu Dhabi has begun the construction of the first carbon-neutral, waste-free city built by the 'Masdar' Initiative. The city will showcase the best available technologies for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
By blending waste management with renewable technologies such as solar and wind power, 'Masdar' says the city will use 75 per cent less electricity and less than half the amount of water of conventional cities, saving the equivalent of $2 billion in oil costs over 25 years.
To maximise energy efficiency, the city's narrow thoroughfares will draw on the traditional architecture of the old walled towns of the Middle East. Carbon emissions saved by these techniques will then be monetised through carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol's clean development mechanism.
The Bahrain World Trade Centre, which opened last year in the capital Manama, has become the first commercial building in the world to integrate wind turbines into its design.
The three turbines will generate up to 15 per cent of the building's energy supply when fully operational. Two sail-shaped towers channel strong onshore winds directly onto the three turbines.
Bahrain is exploring wind and solar power initiatives with the European Union (EU). European commissioner for external affairs and neighbourhood policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, says clean energy was high on the list of priorities of both parties, as they seek to diversify their sources of supply.
Bahrain has started to consider renewable energy options and the Economic Development Board has considered attracting investments in renewable energy as a priority.
The Electricity and Water Authority has an internal committee on renewable energy and Noga has established an energy conservation committee consisting of senior officials from the ministries and industries concerned as well as Bahrain University.
A sub-committee has recently been established to act as the national focal point for expanding efforts to develop and introduce renewable energy technologies to Bahrain on a commercial scale together with the implementation of related energy conservation programmes.
In nearby Dubai, construction of a Dhs6 billion power station to generate electricity using hydrogen extracted from coal may begin in August this year.
Although electricity will be generated from coal - a popular but dirty source of energy - the technology aims for zero emissions and the processes will be done outside the emirate.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has recently signed agreements with private companies from Canada, United States and China to develop a 2,000 MW hydrogen IGCC (integrated gasification combined cycle) coal power plant.
China's Samena Power and Energy will build the plant, while the hydrogen used to fuel the plant may be shipped from Sino Global International's plant in Louisiana, US.
Skyline Services of Canada, who will supply the technology to produce electricity and desalinate water, is not new to the region as it has already provided a Canadian energy company with an implementation strategy for the development of IGCC power plants in the UAE.
Skyline is currently working on developing CTL (coal to liquid) and IGCC projects in the GCC and also in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, some of the biggest companies in the region are developing and implementing their own environmental and corporate social responsibility options in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and shifting to alternative energy sources. If these initiatives can be co-ordinated to enhance sustainability and bring about marked reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the Arab world can truly claim a place as an active contributor to the global efforts to save the earth.
