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“Doha Has Just Three Days’ Supply”: Are Water Shortages The Biggest Threat To The Middle East?
June 20th, 2016
Courtesy of CityMetric, a sobering look at water shortages in the Middle East: Date farms at Liwa Oasis, United Arab Emirates. Those who visit the Middle East and North Africa from more temperate climates are often struck with how hot and dry the region is, and how scarce its rainfall. Some wonder why cities became […]
Read more »No Water In The Kingdom Of The Two Seas — Nor Elsewhere In The Middle East
April 18th, 2016
Via the Inter Press Service, an article on the impact of climate change on the Middle East & North of Africa region: There is an oil producing country situated in the Gulf region, made of a cluster of islands. It is small, surface and population wise. But it holds the dubious privilege of ranking top of […]
Read more »Saudi Arabia: Running Out Of Water, Taxing Residents To Drive Conservation
February 22nd, 2016
Courtesy of The Independent, a report on Saudi Arabia’s recent decision to start taxing water for residents to try and address the soaring cost of debt as oil revenues decline: Saudi Arabia has started taxing water for residents to try and address the soaring cost of debt as oil revenues decline. The water tariff comes amid […]
Read more »Boiling Over: Water And Security Hot Spots 2016
January 13th, 2016
Courtesy of Circle of Blue, an interesting look at 10 places where water issues could undermine civic stability: After five years of civil war, the humanitarian crisis in Syria has reached massive proportions: More than 4.6 million people have fled the country as refugees, and at least 7.6 million more are internally displaced within Syria, […]
Read more »California: Deserts Won’t Bloom Forever
September 17th, 2015
Via PRI, a detailed look at the similarity of challenges facing California and Saudi Arabia: A decade ago, reports began emerging of a strange occurrence in the Saudi Arabian desert. Ancient desert springs were drying up. The springs fed the lush oases depicted in the Bible and Quran, and as the water disappeared, these verdant […]
Read more »Jordan, Saudi Arabia Sign Deal To Protect Shared Aquifer
May 4th, 2015
Via Zawya, a report on a recent Middle East agreement over a shared aquifer: Jordan and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement governing “sound management and protection of the shared Disi aquifer”, which supplies the capital and other governorates with a quarter of their water needs, according to government officials. Minister of Water and Irrigation […]
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