When it comes to saving water for irrigation, there are myriad options, says Ida Tillisch, Director General of Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS-WWF). Looking ahead, it is clear that climate change and population growth are making the Middle East’s water woes more urgent. The Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region has 1,100 m3 of renewable water … The most populous countries in the region are Egypt, Iran, and Turkey, while Saudi Arabia is the largest Middle Eastern country by area. Middle East countries could run out of money long before they run out of oil, according to a stark warning issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a report today. However, this does not mean that countries in the region will run out of water nor go to war over water. Ideally the relatively water-rich Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey could be selling water to the rest of the region but for political reasons don’t expect much of that anytime soon. What the Seine is to Paris, the Zayanderud was to Isfahan – except the latter went bone-dry in 2010. Individuals, communities and countries can – and already do – address water … The boom in North Dakota is rapidly transforming America from a net importer of oil to a net exporter, thus reducing its dependency on the Middle East… Egypt uses about 85% of its share of the Nile River for agricultural purposes, while the remaining 15% is consumed for domestic and … There are also landscapes that look beautiful without having green plants in them,” Tillisch told said. “Meaning that, the year 2030, could be the first year with no more supply from groundwater resources,” the report read. Follow @atabarrok, Tyler Cowen In a keynote speech for the World Water Week in Stockholm on 28 August 2016, our MENA Program Director Joost Hiltermann assesses the role of water in Middle East conflicts – even, potentially, when used in the cultivation of Yemen’s beloved stimulant, qat. Farmers, who account for 70 percent of the world’s water consumption, are often hugely uneconomical about it. Looking ahead, it is clear that climate change and population growth are making the Middle East’s water woes more urgent. And they point out the huge benefits. As I keep telling people, water isn’t an infinite resource – if you consume it at a high enough rate, it will run out. Middle East & Africa Feb 15th 2018 edition. By 2030, according to the UN, four out of 10 people will not have access to water. Both on your website and other media. Enter your email address to subscribe to updates. The UAE placed third in this global ranking in 2013. Email Alex New NASA data show how the world is running out of water. Farmers, who account for 70 percent of the world’s water consumption, are often hugely uneconomical about it. Yemen needs to stop growing qat; this addictive drug accounts for over seventy percent of their water use. Jordan is one of the countries most … known as the Middle East is subjected to common dynamics, and one of its key features is water scarcity. What the Seine is to Paris, the Zayanderud was to Isfahan – except the latter went bone-dry in 2010. AT THE edge of Khayelitsha, a … The UN’s definition of a ‘water-scarce country’ is if it has 1,000 cubic metres of water or less available per person per year. According to the report ‘Scarcity and Abundance: UAE Food and Water Security’ published in November 2014, for every litre of water that flows back into the country’s groundwater reserves from infrequent rainfall, 25 litres is withdrawn. This is more than three times the world average per capita consumption. The UAE has around 4,052,000 million cubic litres of groundwater in aquifers or basins under the land. The UAE’s natural water supply provides for less than half this level, making it one of the world’s most water-scarce nations. Alex Tabarrok Email Tyler June 17, 2015 at 12:15 a.m. UTC. “Water remains a precious UAE resource, as nowadays the country’s groundwater supplies are being unsustainably depleted and we need to save water for our future generations,” Eng Mariam Mohammad Saeed Hareb, Director, Education and Awareness and Project Management Office at the Ministry of Environment and Water, told Gulf News. Most Middle Eastern countries (13 out of 18) are part of the Arab world. By Erin Cunningham. Reasons for optimism. In fact, together with North Africa, the Middle East is considered the most water scarce region in the world. Privacy Policy. Many facts buttress Kalantari’s apocalyptic prediction: Once lauded in poetry, Lake Urmia, the Middle East’s largest lake, has lost 95 percent of its water since 1996, going from 31 billion cubic meters to 1.5 billion. Once crucial to the establishment of one of the world's greatest civilisations, the River Nile is … Egyptian women walk with containers filled with water … A History Of Water In The Middle East is at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, at the Royal Court Theatre until November 16. The UAE University report added: “Although the fresh water resources are scarce in the UAE, one-third of the total water amount is used for landscaping purposes only.”. Since we are using up more than there is, available groundwater is estimated to last between 16 to 36 years, according to a report by the UAE University titled ‘The Challenges of Water Scarcity and the Future of Food Security in the United Arab Emirates’ published last month. Many facts buttress Kalantari's apocalyptic prediction: Once lauded in poetry, Lake Urmia, the Middle East's largest lake, has lost 95 percent of its water since 1996, going from 31 billion cubic meters to 1.5 billion. The ministry is also holding regular awareness campaigns around the country such as the Environmental Wall of Knowledge to impress upon the youth and the general public on ways to use water more efficiently and conserve water. For example, in growing water-intensive crops they derive a less-than-optimal nutrition content from a given quantity of water. As for desalination, the costs have fallen dramatically over the last decade, and may continue to fall. Reporter. The campaigns reached over 23,000 people across the seven emirates, Mariam said. For example, in growing water-intensive crops they derive a less-than-optimal nutrition content from a given quantity of water. Is Jordan running out of water? There is precedent for a solution, one that is at least 4,500 years old. The real problem is not producing the water but rather transporting it uphill. We’ll send you latest news updates through the day. Who stands to gain from the historic deal signed to address a critical shortage of water in the region? Most conflicts over water are subnational, and water shortages are rarely their sole motivation. CAPE TOWN. Many facts buttress Kalantari’s apocalyptic prediction: Once lauded in poetry, Lake Urmia, the Middle East’s largest lake, has lost 95 percent of its water since 1996, going from 31 billion cubic meters to 1.5 billion. Read more Agriculture, in fact, is one of the real villains in the global water drama…Half the water used by the world’s farmers generates no food…A 10 percent improvement in the distribution of water … According to the World Resources Institute, drought will affect between up to 40 percent of the planet already by 2020. In India, water demand is expected to exceed available water … However, this does not mean that countries in the region will run out of water nor go to war over water. The above passage is from Fredrik Segerfeldt’s excellent Water for Sale: How Business and the Market Can Resolve the World’s Water Crisis, published by Cato, and thanks to Alex for the pointer. All rights reserved. Todd C. Frankel . Africa contains only a 2.7-year global oil supply, while Europe and Asia combined have 3.3 years total. Many facts buttress Kalantari's apocalyptic prediction: Once lauded in poetry, Lake Urmia, the Middle East's largest lake, has lost 95 percent of its water since 1996, going from 31 billion cubic meters to 1.5 billion. For every drop of water that goes to waste from UAE taps, much is at stake for everyone. © Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2021. 'It'll cause a water war': divisions run deep as filling of Nile dam nears. Follow @tylercowen, Water for Sale: How Business and the Market Can Resolve the World’s Water Crisis, Learn more about Mercatus Center Graduate Student Fellowships. A cuneiform tablet in the Louvre chronicles a water treaty that ended the war between Umma and Lagash. This means that an average UAE resident consumes about 550 litres of water a day. Agriculture, in fact, is one of the real villains in the global water drama…Half the water used by the world’s farmers generates no food…A 10 percent improvement in the distribution of water to agriculture would double the world’s potable water supply. By . UAE may run out of groundwater by 2030 For every drop of water that goes to waste from UAE taps, much is at stake for everyone Published: March 21, … Iraq, Iran, Oman, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Libya and Yemen are most at risk. Desalination won’t solve your problems if you live in the mountains. Otherwise, the Middle East will run out of water — and it will hardly be alone. Register to read and get full access to gulfnews.com, By clicking below to sign up, you're agreeing to our The International Monetary Fund has some advice for countries in the Gulf: Diversify, and diversify fast. For years, the UAE has been among countries with the highest per capita water consumption in the world, according to the UN Environment Programme. The politics of drought . What the Seine is to Paris, the Zayanderud was to Isfahan – … In fact, there are reasons to be optimistic. Feb 15th 2018. Running dry Why Cape Town is running out of water. A huge bulk of the UAE’s groundwater is used for irrigation, but this is also true globally, according to the UN, since agriculture is the biggest water intensive sector, accounting for 70 per cent of global water withdrawals. “As part of the government strategy, there is a programme to do awareness campaigns and also push legislation towards municipalities to use less water. Parts of the Middle East could become uninhabitable by 2050 because of climate change. This website stores cookies on your computer. The countries in the red bracket could run out of cash in five years or less. It is not even the direst threat in the global water crisis. 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Sometimes the easiest way to trade water is inside a tomato. Each municipality and each agency is looking after their own emirate and seeing how can they can save water,” Mariam said. and Middle East: The politics of water. In my initial post on this series covering the global water crisis, we looked at the threat Cape Town, SouthAfrica faces in becoming the first major city in the world to run out of water.This is not the only water crisis threat facing the world. “Egypt will lose 200,000 acres of agricultural land with every billion cubic meters of water it loses from its share,” former adviser to the minister of water resources and irrigation, Dia Eddin al-Qawsi, told Al-Monitor. These cookies are used to improve your experience and provide more personalized service to you. Here, Mahdi … Middle Eastern countries could solve many of their water problems with free trade, economic diversification, and better agricultural incentives, and yes that means don’t grow bananas in the desert. Dubai: For every drop of water that goes to waste from UAE taps, much is at stake for this generation and the coming ones, such as having no groundwater – at all – to be circulated through taps by 2030. The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient times, with the geopolitical importance of the region being recognized for millennia. You can manage them any time by clicking on the notification icon. With negligible amount of rainfall received annually, these aquifers seldom get replenished, if at all. What the Seine is to Paris, the Zayanderud was to Isfahan – … Egypt building secret tunnels to take water out of country, says Mohamed Ali Water flows through Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam as it undergoes construction work on the river Nile (Reuters) By Cairo. As the UAE marks World Water Day on Sunday, Gulf News looks into the real risk of water scarcity over the next 15 years and beyond. Central and South America combined would have about three years’ worth. Most conflicts over water are subnational, and water shortages are rarely their sole motivation. Has diplomacy run out of cards to play to end the Nile dam dispute? Sudanese Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi is warning Ethiopia against any unilateral measures to fill the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Last month, the ministry said it will use new ways of water extraction, such as that of extracting water from humid air for the agriculture sector to lessen the burden on the water table and enhance food safety and sustainability. “A lot of our water in the country is being used in irrigation and this could be tackled through more sustainable landscaping such as really looking at plants that are less water intensive or maybe perhaps not even using plants. 4:00 AM UTC. The round of negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia end in Kinshasa, Congo, with no resolution in sight. “One acre needs 5,000 cubic meters of water per year. 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