Drought in Levant Countries
A 2006 drought pushed Syrian farmers to migrate to urban centers,
setting the stage for massive uprisings. The devastating civil war
that began in Syria in March 2011 is the result of complex
interrelated factors. While drought is not the only cause of the
Syrian conflict, the idea is that it has helped drive up social
unrest.
The drought that began in 2005 was the most severe on record for
Syria. It serves as a punctuation mark on a winter drying trend that
has been happening since record keeping began in 1900 and has become
more severe in the last 25 years. Three of the four most severe
droughts on record for the country have occurred since the late 1980s.
Rising temperatures, particularly in summer, could also be playing a
role in making droughts more likely and severe. Summer temperatures
across the Levant Region have risen by about 2.2°F since 1900. High
heat can suck moisture out of the soil, further reinforcing drought.
New findings show a 'convergence of evidence' that climate change has
influenced the Syrian drought, Climate Central reports. Numerous
significant thinkers have been promoting the theory that a Syrian
drought caused the current troubles in the country.
The countries that comprise the Levant are Cyprus, Israel, Jordan,
Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. Areas of southern Turkey are also
considered part of the Levant.
A Link Between Climate Change and ISIS Isn't Crazy ... Sciences
specifically connects a severe drought across the Levant to the Syrian
conflict.
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