Global warming and scarcity of rainy seasons threaten to dry up the Dead Sea. What impact will this have on the region's climate?

The Dead Sea is one of the world's most unique natural landmarks. It is the lowest point on Earth (about 430 meters below sea level) and is characterized by its high salinity and dry climate. However, in recent decades, the sea has become threatened by drying up and continuous recession, raising environmental, economic, and geopolitical concerns simultaneously.

According to recent studies, the Dead Sea's water level has fallen by more than 1.2 meters annually since 1970, and the sea has lost more than a third of its original surface area. This has also led to the emergence of thousands of sinkholes and landslides along its coast, threatening infrastructure and tourism. This could lead to the Dead Sea drying up in the next 50 years.

Global warming and environmental conditions threaten to dry up the Dead Sea.

Arab Weather experts say several factors could threaten the Dead Sea's drying up, perhaps the most significant of which is rising global temperatures due to climate change. Given the Dead Sea's geographic location, which lies approximately 430 meters below sea level, this makes the area vulnerable to high temperatures, especially in the summer, which increases the sea's water loss through evaporation.

Another important factor is the scarcity of rainy seasons and the poor water sources that feed the Dead Sea, in addition to the low flow of seasonal valleys. Most of the valleys that flow into the Dead Sea (such as Wadi Mujib and Wadi Zarqa Ma'in) depend on seasonal rains, and when rain decreases during weak rainy seasons, the flow of surface water to the sea decreases, and it loses a basic source of nutrition.

In addition, the level of the Jordan River has declined, as it is the main tributary of the Dead Sea, and is greatly affected by the rainy seasons. In drought years, its supply from tributary rivers and springs decreases.

The poor recharge of groundwater due to the scarcity of rainy seasons is also considered one of the factors threatening the drying up of the Dead Sea. Rain feeds the underground reservoirs that indirectly feed the Dead Sea. When rainfall is scarce during weak seasons, the groundwater level declines and the flow of water towards the Dead Sea decreases.

Potential environmental risks

• Landslides and sinkholes, with more than 7,000 sinkholes appearing on the coast, are a direct danger to visitors and facilities.
• Ecosystem deterioration, due to the disappearance of small salt lakes and coastal marshes and the extinction of some microorganisms characteristic of the salty environment.