Climate emergency: Arab region temperatures soar to new highs in 2024

The World Meteorological Organization has warned of rising temperatures across Arab regions, with increasingly severe impacts.

The global weather body further revealed that 2024 was the hottest year in the Arab region.

It also says that the rate of warming in the region has accelerated rapidly in the recent decade, accompanied by more intense heatwaves and droughts, as well as extreme rainfall and storms.

In the report, the State of the Climate in the Arab Region, temperatures are rising at twice the global average, with intense heatwaves pushing society to the limit.

This has instead exacerbated ongoing socio-economic challenges, such as rapid urbanization, conflict, poverty, and population growth, highlighting the urgent need to build resilience and invest in risk reduction and water security.

“2024 was the hottest year on record for the Arab region – a continuation of a long-term trend. Temperatures are rising at twice the global average, with intense heatwaves pushing society to the limit. Human health, ecosystems, and economies can't cope with extended periods of more than 50 °C – it is simply too hot to handle. Droughts are becoming more frequent and severe in one of the world’s most water-stressed regions. And at the same time, we have seen some disruptive and dangerous deluges,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

The WMO compiled the report in partnership with the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia and the League of Arab States to inform decision-making in a climate-vulnerable region that includes 15 of the world's most water-scarce countries.