Syrian Refugees (Guardian)
Thomas Friedman writing in the New York Times noted: “There is strong evidence that climate change is behind the decline in rainfall in the Middle East from 1971 to 2010. Since 1902, the region experienced nearly all of its driest winters in the past 20 years. (…U.S. NOAA) The war in Syria was preceded by the worst four-year drought in the country’s modern history, driving nearly a million farmers and herders off the land, into the cities where the government of Bashar al-Assad completely failed to help them, fuelling the revolution.”
The rebellion in Syria was exploited and made far worse by Assad’s enemies -Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Turkey. This has been further complicated by the rise of ISIS in Iraq and the Turkish animosity to the Kurds, with the US continuously interfering in chaotic situations and failing to adopt the obvious solution that your enemy’s enemies are your friends. Ironically the most effective force against ISIS so far has been the Kurds now turned upon by the Turks with tacit US support.
The people in the war zones have been terrorised on the ground and bombed from the air. No wonder they are fleeing in droves. The western allies with their interference in all the Middle East and north African disputes have made complicated and difficult situations far worse. And all our climate change denying PM can do is drop more bombs. The climate refugee crisis is upon us and this is merely the beginning. http://www.feedbackreigns.net/other/climate-change-disrupting-the-middle-east/
Friedman noted that at: “Bandar Mahshahr, Iran, on 31 July recorded one of the most extreme temperature observations ever recorded. It was 115 degrees F with a dew point an unfathomable 90 degrees F (a dew point of 55 F feels dry, 72 F is very humid, while over 75 F is oppressive)” and concluded “The only “ism” that will save the Middle East is not Shiism or Islamism but “environmentalism” — understanding that there is no Shiite air or Sunni water, there is just “the commons,” their shared ecosystems, and unless they cooperate to manage and preserve them (and we all address climate change), vast eco-devastation awaits them all.” (New York Times: 19 August 2015)
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/19/opinion/thomas-friedman-the-worlds-hot-spot.html?_r=0
To which we may refine to ‘awaits us all’.