By Majd Othman
KUWAIT: In the last few years, the world has witnessed a huge increase in temperatures, especially during summer. Kuwait is considered one of the hottest countries in the world, as temperatures exceed 54 degrees under the shade and more than 75 degrees under the direct sun.
Kuwait Times spoke to President of Kuwait Astronomical Society Adel Al-Saadoun and discussed with him his point of view for the main reason behind the rise in temperatures, as well as the late arrival of the summer season in Kuwait compared to previous years. Saadoun opposes the theory that man is the main cause of high temperatures as a result of environmental pollution and global warming.
Although Saadoun believes global warming is the main cause of high temperatures, he also adopts the theory that the earth is going through a normal environmental cycle, and humanity is innocent of causing global warming. He stressed the rate of manmade global warming that leads to high temperatures due to pollution doesn’t exceed 5 percent, while the main cause is the rate of water evaporated due to earth’s proximity to the sun, which is a normal environmental cycle that the earth experiences as a natural event.
Saadoun explained the earth is experiencing the opposite of the Ice Age, adding temperatures will rise in the next couple of years. He justified this global theory he adopts, saying this change depends on the changing distance between the earth and the sun, which is a main cause for rising temperatures on earth.
Saadoun simplified this theory, explaining the closer the sun reaches the earth, the higher the temperature gets, pointing out the inclination of the sun affects the earth’s temperature depending on the angle of the sunrays that hit the ground. Meanwhile, he explained the opposite is the same, as the farther the sun pulls away from the earth, the colder the temperature.
Saadoun said this is the main reason why we feel summers are hotter than before, adding the extremes in both cases are witnessed every couple of thousand years. He concluded by saying the only thing people are responsible for is to maintain the earth’s normal temperature, and this is what the international society is working on, to not exceed an increment of two degrees Celsius in the next 50 years, which can be controlled by reducing pollution of all types. He added the media around the world has played an important role in not delivering the true aspects about this issue for many reasons, reiterating what we are experiencing is a normal cycle for earth.