Experts warn of imminent impact of climate change at SIBF

November 12, 2025 / 1:39 PM

Sharjah24: At the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), three prominent environmental voices highlighted that climate change is no longer a distant issue but an immediate and escalating threat to the world’s food and water security. The session, “Writing the Climate”, moderated by Mohammed Al Attar, featured geography professor Dr Fawaz Ahmed Al Mousa, climate researcher Dr Ayoub Abu Deya, and science journalist and author Gaia Vince, who shared insights on the social, economic, and environmental aspects of global warming.

Opening the discussion, Vince, whose 'Adventures in the Anthropocene' won the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books, making her the first woman to win Britain’s top science book award outright, said she remains optimistic about humanity’s capacity to adapt to environmental change. “Throughout history, humans have always found ways to adapt to crises,” she said. “What we face today is a greater challenge, especially since the impoverished are often the most affected.”

Adapting through technology and education

She explained that renewable energy provides one of the most promising ways to mitigate climate change, noting that the cost of solar and wind power has fallen dramatically, making electricity generation far cheaper than with traditional fossil fuels. Vince, whose 2022 book Nomad Century examines the mass migrations expected in the coming decades due to global warming, also highlighted the importance of environmental education. “Protecting the Earth isn’t just an adult’s responsibility,” she continued. “Children who read about the planet develop a sense of stewardship from an early age.” She shared that she uses environmental books at home with her own children to encourage this awareness.

She described climate change as a global chain reaction that crosses borders, wealth, and privilege. “We depend on so many people and regions for everything we eat and wear, and that community is much larger than our immediate circles,” she said. “When the ocean gets too hot and drives winds that destroy a whole community, it’s a reminder that it isn’t going to stop at the border. It’s a planetary challenge.” Vince emphasised that technological adaptation and migration will shape the coming century.

Dr Fawaz Ahmed Al Mousa offered a historical perspective, explaining that the Earth has undergone repeated climatic shifts, including several ice ages, and that the current warming period started around 11,000 years ago. “Human activity, from the discovery of fire to the industrial revolution, has altered climate patterns in unprecedented ways,” he said. “We are now seeing the consequences through atmospheric instability, flash floods, and more frequent heatwaves.” He emphasised that while early environmental efforts were often individual, addressing today’s challenges requires institutional frameworks and collective, science-based policymaking.

Urgent call for global cooperation

Dr Ayoub Abu Deya explained that climate change now impacts nearly every facet of human life, from economics and health to culture and politics. “The environment is the mother of all sciences. It touches every aspect of our existence,” he said. “Human impact on nature is the greatest cause of the current crisis.” He warned that future conflicts could be fought over water and other essential resources, urging urgent and coordinated international action. “Addressing climate change demands immediate and responsible efforts by all nations, supported by public awareness and a change in daily consumption habits,” he added.

The discussion concluded with a collective call for ongoing global cooperation, greater youth participation, and a decisive shift towards renewable energy to ensure a safer, fairer future for the planet and its inhabitants.