Mapping Egypt Vulnerability to Sea
Level Rise Scenarios
Aymen Solyman and Tarek Abdel Monem
Abstract The human induced increase in global average temperature over the past
two centuries has led to an increase in the global mean sea level. The Nile Delta is
one of the three most vulnerable areas to the sea level rise threat in the world. The
saltwater intrusion caused by sea level rise is expected to negatively affect agricultural
activities in the Nile Delta through its detrimental effects on groundwater and soil.
Given its significant contribution to Egypt’s agricultural production, the Nile Delta’s
adaptation to the anticipated rise in sea level is necessary for social and economic
reasons. In order to investigate and analyze such environmental problems and their
impacts, the EGSLR model has been developed. The EGSLR covers the area from
Alexandria to Port Said which extends to about 285 km along the Mediterranean
coast. The development of the EGSLR is using the assessment of the IPCC definition
of vulnerability. National and sub-national geographic and socio-economic data have
been gathered for the area of study from different sources including Shuttle Radar
Topography Mission (SRTM), land cover, urban areas, industrial zones, protected
areas, power plants and population data. The scenarios of sea level rise are the
preliminary basis for ministries, sectors and provinces to assess possible impacts
on socio-economics sectors to develop and implement their respective plans for
responding to and reducing potential impacts of future changes.
Keywords Climate change · Emissions · Sea level rise · Vulnerability · Mapping ·
Land · Agriculture · GIS · Nile Delta · Egypt
A. Solyman
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt
e-mail: aymensolyman@yahoo.com
Present Address:
T. Abdel Monem (B)
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Giza, Egypt
e-mail: monem.tarek@yahoo.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E.-S. E. Omran and A. M. Negm (eds.), Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food
Security in Egypt, Springer Water, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41629-4_9
183
Level Rise Scenarios
Aymen Solyman and Tarek Abdel Monem
Abstract The human induced increase in global average temperature over the past
two centuries has led to an increase in the global mean sea level. The Nile Delta is
one of the three most vulnerable areas to the sea level rise threat in the world. The
saltwater intrusion caused by sea level rise is expected to negatively affect agricultural
activities in the Nile Delta through its detrimental effects on groundwater and soil.
Given its significant contribution to Egypt’s agricultural production, the Nile Delta’s
adaptation to the anticipated rise in sea level is necessary for social and economic
reasons. In order to investigate and analyze such environmental problems and their
impacts, the EGSLR model has been developed. The EGSLR covers the area from
Alexandria to Port Said which extends to about 285 km along the Mediterranean
coast. The development of the EGSLR is using the assessment of the IPCC definition
of vulnerability. National and sub-national geographic and socio-economic data have
been gathered for the area of study from different sources including Shuttle Radar
Topography Mission (SRTM), land cover, urban areas, industrial zones, protected
areas, power plants and population data. The scenarios of sea level rise are the
preliminary basis for ministries, sectors and provinces to assess possible impacts
on socio-economics sectors to develop and implement their respective plans for
responding to and reducing potential impacts of future changes.
Keywords Climate change · Emissions · Sea level rise · Vulnerability · Mapping ·
Land · Agriculture · GIS · Nile Delta · Egypt
A. Solyman
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt
e-mail: aymensolyman@yahoo.com
Present Address:
T. Abdel Monem (B)
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Giza, Egypt
e-mail: monem.tarek@yahoo.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E.-S. E. Omran and A. M. Negm (eds.), Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food
Security in Egypt, Springer Water, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41629-4_9
183