Impact of Recent Climate Changes on Water Resources Management in Arid Regions: A Geo-Environmental Analysis of Libya

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the impact of recent climate changes on water resources management in arid regions, taking Libya as an applied case due to the combination of natural water scarcity, heavy dependence on groundwater, and environmental and institutional fragility. The study is based on the assumption that climate change is no longer merely an external natural factor, but has become a major pressure variable reshaping the foundations of water management and affecting the efficiency of planning, distribution, monitoring, and sustainability.

The research adopted a descriptive-analytical approach with a geographical and environmental dimension, drawing on recent open-access studies and reports related to Libya and arid environments worldwide. The findings indicate that rising temperatures, fluctuating rainfall, increasing drought waves, higher evapotranspiration, and declining natural recharge of groundwater aquifers have imposed cumulative pressures on water management in Libya. The study also reveals that the problem is not linked to climate alone, but is aggravated by weak institutional coordination, limited databases, aging infrastructure, and continued reliance on traditional management patterns that do not adequately respond to risks.

The importance of the study lies in its integration of geographical, environmental, and administrative analysis, as well as in highlighting the specificity of the Libyan case compared with general studies on arid regions. The study concludes that water resources management in Libya requires a qualitative shift from traditional management to adaptive and integrated management based on early warning systems, improved governance, groundwater protection, expansion of non-conventional alternatives, and stronger integration between climate and water policies.