Cost and effect of native vegetation change on aeolian sand, dust, microclimate and sustainable energy in Kuwait

Abstract

This study deals with the vegetation change in Kuwait from 1974 compared to recent vegetation map and their capabilities on trapping mobile sand, dust and carbon dioxides (Co2). The average cost of one cubic meter removal of encroached sand around infrastructures in Kuwait is 1.32 USD. The capability of trapping sand is much higher for Haloxylon sp. than Stipagrostis sp. by 100%. The areas that were covered by Haloxylon in 1974 lose recently 4385 km2 for the benefits of Stipagrostis causing the formation of a new mobile sand corridor. The total estimated annual cost for the vegetation change is 35,429,379 USD obtained from the costs of sand encroachment, CO2 consumption loss and solar energy efficiency loss. Rehabilitation for areas that were occupied with large size canopy vegetation will surely cause a decrease in the aeolian activities and air temperature, lower the albedo and increase the precipitation and solar energy production.