Arid regions like the Middle East are particularly sensitive to shifts in climate, and changes in rainfall patterns can put stress on critical water supplies and food systems. Colin Kelley, an associate research scientist with the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, studies regional climate in such areas in order to improve our ability to make forecasts, plan ahead and become more resilient to drought and other climate shifts. A study he and colleagues wrote in 2015 contends that a record drought in Syria, probably driven by man-made climate change, may have contributed to the unrest that led to the current Syrian civil war.
In the latest video in a series on Earth Institute people, Kelley talks about his work to help countries around the world prepare better and become more resilient to climate change. For more in the series, look here.
Video production by the Columbia News video team.
