There is no need to travel far in time or place to see the hazards of climate change. The recent sand-storm in Tehran was the first of its kind and scientists believe it is the result of a drought in the Persian Gulf neighbors. Mass migration, drought, and water shortages are causing tension and conflicts among nations.

Severe drought in Iran last year slashed output from its hydroelectric power plants with residents facing regular power shortages last summer. The capital Tehran and other cities were hit by cuts of up to three hours. In some of the suburbs in Tehran water was rationed.
Relatively more rainfall this year doesn’t mean Iran is not susceptible to water shortages or drought.
In order to see effects of climate change neighboring Iraq is a good place to start with. In its third year of a drought crop yields and water reservoir levels have been severely affected in the country.
Combination of soil salinity and poor irrigation has plunged Iraq’s agricultural productivity. Today Iraq is heavily dependent on grain imports. Agriculture still remains country’s largest source of employment.
With palm tree plantations along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers Iraq used to be a leading date exporter. The Iraqi prime minister approved Sunday a project by a UAE-based company to make biofuel from the rotting dates. Ironic for a country with one of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world.
Turkey, which has dams in the border region with Iraq, recently pledged to release more water down the Euphrates and Tigris rivers to Iraq. However, Turkey warned that it too was suffering from a severe drought and the country was overstretched with its own water needs.
Despite the drought, last week Turkey was overwhelmed with the heaviest rains in eight decades. The record rainfall fueled flash floods that have killed at least 31 people in and around Istanbul, the business and cultural capital of Turkey.
The flash floods have affected businesses and tourism alike. Water had covered many of the city’s low-lying areas as well as one of the primary highways connecting the city center with the main airport.
In northwestern Turkey some 200 workers were evacuated from tile and brick factories by helicopters, officials said.
Parts of Istanbul were submerged in water during the flooding. The Turkish government reassured tourists and businesses that neighborhoods, including the “Old Istanbul”, where the Blue Mosque, Haigia Sophia and the Hippodorme are located, and Taksim, the city’s bustling business center – are both safe.
Murat Yalcintas, the president of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, has estimated that the flooding has caused at least $80-90 million in damage. Particularly hard hit were the textile and clothing companies with warehouses near the airport.
To the south of Turkey is Syria. A report by Syria Today estimates that some 1.3 million Syrians have been affected by the worst drought in 40 years.
According to the United Nation’s Syria Drought Response Plan released in August, some 803,000 farmers, herders and their families have had their livelihoods wiped out by the drought. An estimated 300,000 people have left the rural dueling in search for work in the urban areas.
Abnormally hot spring temperatures have damaged the nation’s winter grain crops. Wheat is the single most important food grain grown in Syria, and this year’s shortfall could lead to a significant drawdown in domestic stocks unless the country increases imports. The UN report added that malnutrition is now the country’s main health problem.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) report the rainfall for 2008/9 in Syria averaged between 15-30 percent of the normal for most of the primary wheat producing areas.
To the east of Iran lies Afghanistan. The presidential poll in Afghanistan distracts the attention of the international community towards its worst drought in a decade and the upcoming food crisis that Afghans might face.
According to Oxfam five million Afghans would face severe food shortages and possible starvation.
Today a major part of the Asian and African continent are faced with drought. The scope of this disaster is beyond the grasp of this article. Power shortages from India to Nigeria, street protests over the chronic lack of power in major capitals, have gripped many developing nations.
The negotiations in December in Copenhagen aimed at writing a new global agreement to replace the expiring 1997 Kyoto Protocol are almost sure to fail due to lack of political will. Consensus awaits a major climatic calamity, the scope of which scientists believe we are still going to witness.