The Sultanate of Oman is located in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula, with landscapes from rugged mountains to desert plains and rich mangroves. Oman’s ecosystems are varied, presenting a unique opportunity to manage the environment. With an economy that is dominated by exporting crude oil, economic diversification is aligning with Vision 2040. An area that is to be addressed in Vision 2040 is sustainability and security. Food security is a priority in the GCC. Oman, like many of its neighbours, imports over half of its food to meet the needs of its growing and young population. With climate change and increasing climate variability, it is likely to add increasing pressure to the country’s agricultural sector and increasing reliance on imports.
Climate change is also adding risk to Oman’s economic development due to the potential environmental impacts; such as warming surface temperature, Groundwater pollution and the increase of water salinity are of growing concern for a nation that relies on desalination for most of the freshwater. Furthermore, a range of socioeconomic and institutional factors are adding pressure on Oman’s ability to respond to current and projected changes in climate change. These challenges must be met to respond to climate change strategically.
In the future, Oman will see an average surface temperature increase of +4 C by 2100, a decrease in monthly rainfall, and an increase in mean drought index. While all the model ensembles that have suggested the above data, assume RCP 8.5, the business as usual scenario, it is quite possible for these impacts to be much worse as climate feedback loops might have a multiplicative effect as global systems feed into one another.
Food security, economic development and climatic change all influence the vulnerability of Oman into the remainder of the 21st century.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs was restructured by the Sultan, to the Environment Authority as part of an operation to streamline government structure. The Environment Authority is the government institution that is responsible for all climate change-related policy, strategy and communication in the sultanate.
Oman’s economy is primarily built upon the energy sector, with additional revenue arriving from tourism. The Energy sector is inextricably linked to climate change, climate variability and Oman’s economic prosperity. From a global level, ever-increasing energy demand drives anthropogenic climate change, primarily through the emissions of greenhouse gasses. At a local level, Oman is exposed to the contrasting impacts of climate variability and change in energy supply, from breaks in distribution and demand growth. These challenges are not unique to Oman and can have positive and negative consequences.
From a Natural Catastrophe perspective, Oman is vulnerable to flooding, cyclones, sand storms and drought; with cyclones accounting for over 80% of all-natural hazards occurrences. Catastrophic losses lead to economic, social and environmental challenges. Oman is one among many countries that has heightened the degree of awareness and concern about climate change and its adverse impacts on national economies and lives. Weather patterns are changing, sea levels are rising, and weather events are becoming more extreme.
1. Speak up!
What’s the single biggest way you can make an impact on global climate change? “Talk to your friends and family, and make sure your representatives are making good decisions,”
2. Invest in energy-efficient appliances.
“Energy efficiency is the lowest-cost way to reduce emissions,” When shopping for refrigerators, washing machines, and other appliances, look for the Energy Star label. It will tell you which are the most efficient.
3. Reduce water waste.
Saving water reduces carbon pollution, too. That’s because it takes a lot of energy to pump, heat, and treat your water. So take shorter showers, turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, and switch to WaterSense-labeled fixtures and appliances.
4. Actually eat the food you buy—and make less of it meat.
“If you’re wasting less food, you’re likely cutting down on energy consumption,” And since livestock products are among the most resource-intensive to produce, eating meat-free meals can make a big difference, too.
5. Buy better bulbs.
LED lightbulbs use up to 80 percent less energy than conventional incandescent. They’re also cheaper in the long run: A 10-watt LED that replaces your traditional 60-watt bulb will save you $125 over the lightbulb’s life.
5. Pull the plug(s).
Taken together, the outlets in your home are likely powering about 65 different devices—an average load for a home in the U.S. Audio and video devices, cordless vacuums and power tools, and other electronics use energy even when they’re not charging. So don’t leave fully charged devices plugged into your home’s outlets, unplug rarely used devices or plug them into power strips and timers, and adjust your computers and monitors to automatically power down to the lowest power mode when not in use.
6. Drive a fuel-efficient vehicle.
Gas-smart cars, such as hybrids and fully electric vehicles, save fuel and money. And once all cars and light trucks meet 2025’s clean car standards, which means averaging 54.5 miles per gallon, they’ll be a mainstay.
Article by Mr. Mohammed Saud, Insurance Coordinator.