Climate change, pollution puts Kuwait waters at risk

Climate change, pollution puts Kuwait waters at risk

By Khaled Al-Abdulhadi

KUWAIT: Marine life is an important part of the ecosystem, as the earth is mostly covered by oceans. Therefore, we must preserve marine life because it has the biggest effect on the ecosystem in the world, Kuwait and the Gulf included. A study published by Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management in April 2020 regarding mortality incidents between 1999 to 2019 said:

“Different causes were responsible for the different marine mortalities in Kuwait and the region, including untreated sewage input, eutrophication, bacterial infection, algal blooms, hypoxic conditions, pollution and dredging.” Kuwait Times spoke to Rachel Mulholland, Middle East Principal Scientist at the Center for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science at the British Embassy, and Jenan Behzad, General Secretary of Kuwait Environment Protection Society (KEPS), to find out Kuwait’s position with regards to the issue compared to the world, as well as finding hopeful solutions for them.

Main marine issues Mulholland said that some of the key marine issues in Kuwait and the Gulf include biodiversity loss, climate change impacts, plastic and other pollution. “These are similar to marine issues around the world. The oceans are all connected, and some marine species travel great distances, so no country is detached from any