Parts of southern Europe, including southern Spain and Portugal, could turn into desert if global warming continues at the same rate as now.
This conclusion was made by scientists from the University of Aix-Marseille. Their research is published in the journal Science.
The Mediterranean region will be among the hardest hit by global warming in the world, scientists believe.
In their research, the experts used historical data and computer models to predict the possible effects of climate change. They developed several scenarios depending on the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the rise in temperatures.
The only scenario in which the ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea basin will remain unchanged is that the average global temperature will increase by 1 degree Celsius compared to the pre-industrial period. In fact, this growth has already taken place.
If the global average temperature rises by 2 degrees, then the south of Spain and Portugal, as well as some regions of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, the south of Turkey and some parts of Syria will turn into a desert by the end of this century.
The Mediterranean region, due to global warming, will suffer from droughts as well as high temperatures. This threatens the plants that grow here, including oak and olive trees.
The average temperature in the Mediterranean region has already risen by 1.3 degrees Celsius since the end of the 19th century. Scientists are urging governments to reduce emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere and slow climate change in order to preserve the ecosystem of the Mediterranean region.
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