Regional Voices: Shared vulnerability, diverging priorities.
Old Man Tariq sits outside his tea shop in Irbid, Jordan, carefully polishing glasses. He remembers winters with heavy snows, enough to bury his shop entirely. “Now?” he sighs, gesturing to the clear, warm afternoon sky in November. “We get a few drops. The olive trees… they aren’t giving like they used to.” He speaks not of geopolitics, but of the changing seasons, of livelihoods threatened. He’s noticed the difference over decades, but says younger people are too busy with their lives to see what’s being lost. His concern isn’t about international agreements or emissions targets; it’s about whether his grandchildren will be able to continue the family tradition of olive farming.
Local Perspective
Across the region, from the Levant to the Gulf, the impact of climate change is already keenly felt. Water scarcity is intensifying existing conflicts. Dust storms are becoming more frequent, exacerbating respiratory illnesses. Extreme heat is making outdoor work dangerous, impacting agricultural yields and construction. But amidst these shared vulnerabilities, perspectives on how to address the problem diverge sharply. Many feel frustrated by what they see as the hypocrisy of wealthy nations that historically contributed the most to emissions but now demand sacrifices from developing economies.
“They tell us to reduce emissions, but they built their wealth on burning fossil fuels,” says Fatima, a university student in Cairo. “We need to develop too. We need energy for hospitals, for schools, for people’s lives.” This sentiment is echoed throughout the region: a climate response must be equitable, acknowledging past responsibility and present needs. There’s also a deep distrust of international processes, seen as dominated by external interests and often failing to deliver promised funding for adaptation and mitigation.
The Bigger Picture
The current deadlock at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the UN’s leading climate science body – illuminates the fractured state of global climate action. The dispute over publication dates for its next assessment reports isn’t merely a procedural issue. It’s a symptom of deeper tensions between industrialized nations and emerging economies like India, China, and Saudi Arabia, mirroring the broader Israel-Iran dynamic of competing interests and strategic calculations. While Israel is actively investing in climate tech and adaptation, and has normalized relations with some Arab states promoting green initiatives, the region continues to grapple with energy security concerns, and the economic dependencies linked to fossil fuel production. Iran, facing severe water stress and affected by increasingly frequent sandstorms, is also vocal about the need for climate justice, but its geopolitical isolation hinders its participation in international collaborations. The IPCC impasse is playing out against the backdrop of escalating regional instability, making it harder to build the trust and cooperation needed for effective climate action.
A Note of Hope
Despite the political obstacles, grassroots movements are emerging across the Middle East dedicated to climate resilience. From sustainable farming projects in Jordan to renewable energy initiatives in Morocco, and community-led water conservation efforts in Palestine, people are taking matters into their own hands. These local responses demonstrate a powerful desire for change, a recognition that a sustainable future is not just an environmental imperative but a matter of survival. It’s a reminder that even within complex geopolitical landscapes, communities can find common ground in the shared need to protect their livelihoods and build a more resilient future.
Source: Kate Abnett and Sudarshan Varadhan, “Inside the deadlock at the world’s top climate science body,” Al-Monitor, October 9, 2026.
