The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported in a statement that the Middle East and North Africa region recorded its hottest year ever in 2024, with temperatures rising at twice the global average rate over recent decades. According to the first WMO report focusing on the region, heatwaves have become longer and more intense. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stated: 'Temperatures are rising at double the global average rate, with extreme and exhausting heatwaves for communities.' The report concluded that the average temperature in 2024 exceeded the 1991-2020 average by 1.08°C, with Algeria recording the highest increase at 1.64°C above the 30-year average. Saulo warned that prolonged periods of temperatures exceeding 50°C in several Arab countries were 'extremely dangerous' for human health, ecosystems, and the economy. The report also indicated that droughts in the region, which includes 15 of the world's most water-scarce countries, have become more frequent and severe, with a trend toward longer and more intense heatwaves in North Africa since 1981. The report stressed the urgent need for investment in water security through projects like water desalination and wastewater reuse, along with developing early warning systems to mitigate weather-related risks. Currently, about 60% of countries in the region have these systems. According to regional projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, under current emission levels, the average temperature in the region could rise by 5°C by the end of the century.
