Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Security Council, has issued a grave warning about the escalating threat of rising sea levels, highlighting the possibility of a mass exodus due to the impacts of climate change. Alexandria, Egypt's second-largest city with a population of 5.5 million, is particularly vulnerable to this peril. Increasingly violent winter storms and flash floods pose a significant danger to the city's seafront. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Alexandria has been listed by UNESCO as one of several Mediterranean cities in need of tsunami preparedness by 2030, prompting a race against time for solutions.
The sinking city of Alexandria faces not only its own plight but also a grave consequence for the surrounding farmland. From the terrace of the White & Blue restaurant, which overlooks Alexandria's harbor and the 15th-century Citadel of Qaitbay, one can witness a breathtaking view of the bay filled with yachts and fishing boats glistening under the autumn sun. However, the opposite side of the restaurant reveals a disconcerting sight. The beach is covered in thousands of concrete blocks resembling enormous "hedgehog" anti-tank barriers. These unsightly structures have encroached upon the Citadel and obliterated the waterfront for kilometers along the Nile Delta coast, posing a threat to Alexandria's top tourist sites.
These concrete blocks, which were first installed in 2018, serve as a defense mechanism against erosion caused by rising sea levels and the sinking land in the northern stretches of the Nile Delta. They are designed to break the force of powerful waves that batter the coast. The Egyptian Ministry of Water Resource and Irrigation has reported that sea levels are rising at an alarming rate, increasing from 1.8 millimeters per year until the early 1990s to 3.2 millimeters per year in the past decade. Simultaneously, the land on which Alexandria is situated is sinking at a similar rate, leading to routine street flooding during heavy rain. This dual crisis poses a significant threat to Alexandria. Parts of the city are already below sea level, making the risk of drowning all the more real. Furthermore, the sinking city and rising sea levels jeopardize vast stretches of farmland in the Nile Delta, an agricultural region known for its productivity since ancient times. The escalating problem also brings the danger of salinization, which could render the farmland poisonous and potentially result in a long-term food crisis for Egypt.
The environmental challenges faced by Egypt, particularly the impacts of climate change, have a profound impact on the country. Overdevelopment, including the construction of dams, highways, factories, intensive farming, and urban sprawl, has accelerated the degradation of the delicately balanced ecosystems along the Nile River and the Nile Delta. This degradation, evident in the battered shoreline, exacerbates the overall environmental crisis. Salah Hafez, former chief executive of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, emphasizes the severity of the situation, stating that land degradation and salinity are causing a decline in agricultural yields, while Alexandria continues to sink. The complexity of the issues at hand makes it difficult to find a simple solution, as lifting an entire city is an insurmountable challenge.
In conclusion, Egypt is engaged in a battle against climate change with Alexandria at the forefront of its struggle. The sinking city faces the imminent threat of drowning, while the surrounding farmland is at risk of becoming infertile due to rising salinity. Egypt's overdevelopment further exacerbates the environmental degradation. Urgent action is required to address these challenges, as failure to do so could lead to severe consequences for both the city and the nation's food security.
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