Fresh on the heels of Israel, Egypt, and the UAE, who have all recently made commitments for a renewable energy future, Jordan recently launched EDAMA, an initiative to help Jordan reduce energy demand, water usage, and protect the environment.
EDAMA Chairperson Karim Kawar indicates that Jordan is using its energy and water resources in an economically and environmentally unsustainable manner. Jordan imports as much as 96 percent of its energy, he says, which equaled 20% of the country’s GDP and 24 percent of its total imports in 2007.
Much of this energy comes from dirty-burning oil, so Jordan produces 13.4 million tons of greenhouse gases just from its energy sector.
Kawar also indicates that Jordan is consuming water from its aquifers at twice the renewable rate.
The EDAMA initiative intends to respond to these challenges by developing a comprehensive strategy “that streamlines efforts towards effective energy sector performance, increases private sector participation and investment and reduces the environmental impact of energy and water use.”
To draw their plan, the initiative will involve Jordanian and international experts from both the private and public sectors.
“Our ultimate objective is to develop Jordan as a model for energy independence by using renewable sources, which has a direct impact on our country’s long-term economic competitiveness, water resources and environment,” Kawar said.
EDAMA is supported by USAID, whose Mission Director Jay Knott commented that increased energy, water, an environment productivity will also provide opportunities for growth and investment that benefit Jordan’s entire economy.
The EDAMA team hopes to have their strategy completed by June.
For more information, check out EDAMA’s spiffy new website!
:: Jordan Times
More renewable energy and water conservation in the Middle East:
Drought in Jordan Calls People to Pray for Rain and the Controversial Dead-Red Peace Canal
Qatar to Set Some Environmental Goals
Israel, Egypt & Abu Dhabi All Set Renewable Energy Goals
Eilat Renewable Energy Conference Full Steam Ahead For February
Author: Rachel Bergstein
When her vegan summer camp counselor explained to a fifteen-year-old Rachel how the dairy industry pollutes the groundwater in poor rural communities and causes global warming, there was no turning back. Her green fire lit, Rachel became increasingly passionate about the relationship between human societies and the natural environment, particularly about the systemic injustices associated with environmental degradation. After snagging a B.A. in Peace and Justice Studies at the University of Maryland, where she wrote an undergraduate thesis on water injustice in Israel/Palestine and South Africa, Rachel was awarded the New Israel Fund/Shatil’s Rabbi Richard J. Israel Social Justice Fellowship to come and spread the green gospel in Israel for the 2009-2010 academic year. She currently interns for Friends of the Earth Middle East in their Tel Aviv office. When Rachel is not having anxiety about her ecological footprint, carbon and otherwise, she can be found in hot pursuit of the best vegetarian food Tel Aviv has to offer. She also blogs about her experience as an NIF fellow and environmentalist in Israel at organichummus.wordpress.com. Rachel can be reached at rachelbergstein (at) gmail (dot) com.
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