aquaculture is “the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of marine plants and animals.” which can be facilitated in bodies of water and in large tanks on land. however, the intent behind aquaculture isn’t merely to create mass networks of fish-farms. rather, the idea is to build sustainable, individualized farms that cultivate specific species complementary to their environments. with 90% of the world’s large fish stocks being threatened by overfishing, this developing field is becoming increasingly relevant. 

aquaculture is in its infancy in oman; the country has pursued projects in earnest while acknowledging aquaculture as a crucial “key pillar” to diversify its economy. however, resource allocation and policy work remain. still, many remain eager to see how it could evolve. rumaitha al busaidi is an omani marine scientist who has supervised a number of successful aquaculture projects in the country. according to her, aquaculture has the potential to serve dual purposes both economically and environmentally, helping the country to slowly diversify its economy away from oil and gas. 

following a devastating cyclone in 2007, many traditional farms began hemorrhaging profits as their groundwater inputs had become salinated. al busaidi believes that building sustainable fisheries at these sites can help farmers and oceans recover from the major hit. tilapia fish do not occur naturally in oman, but aquaculture has helped farmers to explore a new source of revenue.

“how do you utilize a source now that’s no longer viable 100% for full-scale agriculture and use it to kind of close the loop and use it for another resource? that’s when fish [farming] came about,” says al busaidi.

oman is merely a case study of the potential of aquaculture, as it is gradually becoming a dynamic industry across the globe. 35 countries produced more farmed than wild-caught fish in 2014, according to the national oceanic and atmospheric association. the u.s. aquaculture industry produced 626 million pounds of seafood in 2017, according to paul hawken’s drawdown. 

while the solution can clearly create food, the potential to scale back the effects of climate change is especially fascinating. seaweed, for example, has been hailed as an unexpected source of biofuel. the marine plant gets the bulk of its weight from oil that can be converted into biofuel for cars, trucks, and even airplanes. the world’s energy needs could be met if 3% of the world’s oceans were set aside for seaweed farming, according to drawdown. 

one of the most notable things about aquaculture is that it has split off into a number of promising sub-technologies. “oyster-tecture,” for example, is an emerging field within aquaculture that focuses on “artificial oyster reefs and floating gardens to help protect coastal communities from future hurricanes sea-level rise and storm surges,” according to drawdown.

meanwhile, oysters are also able to absorb large amounts of carbon and, more importantly, filter out nitrogen. maryland state is dedicated to the restoration of oyster reefs on its eastern shore while oyster farming. each year, its harris creek reefs are estimated to remove an amount of nitrogen equivalent to 20,000 bags of fertilizer—a service valued at more than $1.7 million, according to the chesapeake bay foundation.

alas, aquaculture isn’t exactly a climate plan buzzword. much of the text of the green new deal and the biden plan for climate change and environmental justice centers on land-based approaches. in oman at least, aquaculture farms are nowhere near becoming the norm. 98% of fishing fleets in the country are traditional fisheries run by local fishermen, according to al busaidi. however, she maintains that the promise of a highly-developed aquaculture industry shouldn’t be ignored, especially when it comes to engaging young people in the conversation. 

“it’s a profession that a lot of young people are moving away from because it’s not cool anymore to be a fisherman,” says al busaidi. “much of the work is around determining how we make aquaculture cool again. how do we make fisheries cool?” 

cool-factor or not, aquaculture could be the oceans’ saving grace. environmentalists have asked how to save the oceans from overfishing, pollution, and the increasingly visible effects of climate change. however, maybe that inquiry should be turned on its head. maybe seas and oceans can be developed to be self-sufficient, and ultimately capable of protecting the planet. 

the field requires quite a bit of bolstering, but in the interim, countries can explore dedicating resources toward specialized aquaculture farms, while distancing themselves from the fishing practices that have resulted in today’s environmental dilemmas. the rise of aquaculture is a testament to the fact that when it comes to new technologies and community-oriented sustainability solutions, discovery is nonstop.

it’s jarring to imagine such a long-standing custom becoming unsafe. but this threat to tradition is just one potential impact of climate change in the middle east and north africa.

the region, known as mena, is no monolith; generalization is dangerous. however, experts anticipate it being affected by global climate change more than other world regions.

while there are unknowns, certain factors make mena particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change. knowing these factors matters as we develop targeted solutions and work to piece together the global climate story across borders.

1. mena’s most populous cities are coastal; rising sea levels pose serious flood risks 

mena’s coastal cities are the most population-dense in the region. in the arabian sea and gulf region, cities like abu dhabi, doha, and dubai are at higher flood risk being located on low-lying coastal zones or islands. the world economic forum has identified 24 ports in the middle east and 19 ports in north africa they consider vulnerable to sea level rise. 

flood planning is going to be crucial as rising sea levels could make future major environmental events like cyclones even more devastating. doha may develop flood management protocol that could be relevant in california, too.

2. the mena region is the most water-stressed region in the world  

while mena will be seriously affected by flooding, it’s also the most water-stressed region in the world. by 2050, there are indications that natural water resources in mena will drop to 11 times less than the global average. 

while the water supplies are naturally lower due to heat, growing demands have pushed the limits. as a result of global warming, annual mean precipitation in the region could decrease by 10% in the region, according to a study from the cyprus institute. creative water management systems are going to be vital. efforts to desalinate and recycle water are possible, but underutilized due to issues with integration and associated costs.

3. the mena region is naturally one of the hottest, driest regions on earth

most people know mena for its naturally hot and arid climate. however, the “hottest days of today” could be daily occurrences on the gulf coast by 2070. the heat waves could make certain areas nearly unlivable. 

but even if it doesn’t escalate to that point, the implications for agriculture and the economy are vast. as average temperatures increase, dry seasons become longer and crops wither. with drier land, illness-inducing dust storms become more common, losses from dust storms total to $150 billion and more than 2.5% of gross domestic product (gdp) on average in mena already.

4. mena countries have experienced some of the fastest population growth rates worldwide

as globalization and urbanization in mena continue, so does population growth. mena experienced the highest rate of population growth of any region in the world over the past century.

as population growth continues, there will be increased water and energy demands. as we’ve discovered so far, climate change will only make resources more scarce. as water becomes scarce, water treatment techniques like desalination will require more energy input. more people means this vicious cycle is only propelled further.

5. historically, climate change and conflict have been inextricably linked throughout the region

qualifying mena solely through its conflicts isn’t nuanced or helpful. still, understanding that climate change and conflict are linked throughout mena is imperative.

in yemen, where the government has been absent, and armed conflict has increased, water has been weaponized at civilians’ expense. islamic state efforts to control the mosul and fallujah dams in 2014 speaks to how terror organizations consolidate power by manipulating resources.

as climate change causes scarcity, the relationship between climate and conflict is one of the most important dynamics to consider. the mena region illustrates the relationship, but it is not alone in experiencing it.

where do we go from here?

the rest of the world cannot be absolved from caring about these factors under the guise of distance. mena is a unique region, so it requires unique solutions. however, the trends outlined here are part of global climate patterns that can and will affect populations regardless of borders. education on mena’s risk factors, as well as its potential to overcome them, is the first step in approaching sustainable solutions. 

i’d like to add that most plus size sustainable fashion is quite literally earth tone linen sacks, and not in a chic way https://t.co/t8lmvooh03

— ?????? ??? (@lek_9677) september 13, 2020

it’s no secret that apparel waste, fast fashion, and climate change are linked. research from the ellen macarthur foundation showed that the average consumer bought 60% more clothes in 2014 than in 2000, but kept each garment for half as long. the world resources institute estimates that it takes about 2700 liters (approximately 713 gallons) of water — nearly 9 bathtubs’ worth — to produce just one cotton shirt. in case it wasn’t concerning enough, the fashion industry is already responsible for 8% to 10% of annual global carbon emissions, according to the un environment programme. 

clearly, the adopted solution needs to be one that everyone can participate in. for plus size women, online thrift and vintage stores are innovative options. this trend operates heavily through instagram, where accounts like @luvsickplus and @shop.fatties run “story sales” and post secondhand and vintage finds, asking followers to “swipe up” to purchase. one key advantage is that plus size women can take control of sales and market clothing they know others might actually like because they’ve selected the stock themselves. online thrifting isn’t plus specific, but plus size women are slowly starting to embrace it as an affordable option.

online thrift platforms like depop and thredup, have also begun to accommodate plus size thrifting. these sites use a more formal approach where users can purchase from “shops” or pick from stock like any other online store. there are also filtering tools for searching these sites, which makes it easier to shop the size inclusive brands we know and trust. the long term possibilities are promising, economically speaking. by 2021, the online secondhand shopping sector is set to grow by 69% according to thredup’s 2020 resale report.

still, the online thrift and vintage option is imperfect. it can be challenging to find the right size or pay an affordable price. the clothing isn’t always on trend. mainstream fashion hasn’t included plus size women for very long, so there hasn’t been much time for a large stock of secondhand plus clothing to develop. i fall at the beginning of the plus range and still find it difficult. 

however, i would be remiss if i didn’t acknowledge that this development has its strengths. online thrift and vintage shopping are solutions that when they work, seem to work pretty well. the trend could definitely make sustainable fashion more accessible to plus size women. 

alternatively, so would normalizing the production of sustainable clothing in extended sizes. the growth potential for online thrifting is exciting, but in the same breath we must ask: why are women encountering this issue in the first place? as long as sustainable brands won’t provide for all women, some are going to continue to default to fast fashion even if they’d rather not. most people want to do their part, ideally without a crisis over whether or not they can squeeze into tighter pants for the sake of the environment.