A new study by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) paints a stark picture of agricultural land degradation, particularly in the Arab region. More than 46 million hectares—nearly two-thirds of all land suffering human-induced damage in the region—are now at risk. The findings, published in Agriculture (MDPI), stress the urgent need to restore degraded land to safeguard food supplies, especially where climate pressures are mounting.

The Arab Spring started because of the price of bread and the lack of water resources to grow food. The civil war in Syria began for the same reasons. As the Arab world gets drier, conflicts in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan will only get more intense.

Globally, an estimated 1.66 billion hectares of land have been degraded by human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, mismanaged irrigation, and heavy chemical use. Over 60 percent of that damage falls on croplands and pastures—the soils that feed 95 percent of the world’s population. If allowed to worsen, degradation could undercut entire agrifood systems and the communities that depend on them.

Related: this greenhouse technology grows food on salty aquifers 

Across the Arab world, croplands face a perfect storm of stressors. Excessive fertilizers and pesticides erode soil ecology. Poor drainage and over-irrigation drive salinization, leaving fields crusted with salt. Rising temperatures, dwindling groundwater, and more frequent sand-and-dust storms—all amplified by climate change—compound the crisis. These are unmistakably human-driven pressures, and they are accelerating. Consider that Morocco lost half its wheat last year from drought. How many more migrants and climate refugees from the Middle East and North Africa can Europe accept? The solution is to help.

Less than 4 percent of degraded land in the Arab region is currently earmarked for restoration. FAO analysts calculate that rehabilitating 26 million hectares of worn-out cropland could trim yield gaps by as much as 50 percent for oil crops and lift cereals, roots, and tubers toward their full potential—a direct boost to local food security and rural incomes.

The study urges governments, farmers, investors, and researchers to adopt integrated soil, water, and land-management strategies designed to stop further degradation and rebuild fertility. Rather than relying on one-off projects, it recommends coordinated regional programs that share data, finance, and know-how—tailored to the diverse ecological zones from Morocco’s Atlantic coast to Iraq’s river valleys. Israel has water technologies from water companies such as Netafim to help rip irrigation deliver more drops per crop.

Momentum is growing. Recent ministerial meetings in Riyadh committed to ambitious restoration targets, and the UN’s FAO-backed NENA Regional Investment Framework for Ecosystem Restoration is lining up “champion countries” to pilot scalable projects. Innovative tools such as the Suitability Crop Platform—an open database of soil profiles, climate metrics, and crop requirements—are making it easier for farmers and planners to match the right crops to recovering lands.

See this museum of Middle East soil in the UAE

Healthy soils do more than grow food. They store carbon, regulate water, and support biodiversity—services that underpin every other climate-adaptation effort. By restoring degraded fields, countries in the Arab region can build jobs, reduce rural poverty, and bolster resilience against heat and drought. The lesson is clear: investing in the ground beneath our feet is the fastest way to secure food sovereignty in a hotter, drier future.

The post Arab agricultural land is on the brink appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Madleen—a diesel powered sail boat—is currently en route to Gaza as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s effort to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge the ongoing Israeli blockade. While the word “flotilla” typically refers to a group or fleet of ships operating together, this mission finds the Madleen sailing alone, with prominent climate activist Greta Thunberg onboard.

The boat is registered as Barcarole (MMSI: 232057367), a sailing vessel sailing under the flag of United Kingdom. Her length overall (LOA) is 18 meters and her width is 5 meters.

Though equipped with sails to reduce fuel use, the Madleen also depends on a diesel engine.

Still, the voyage raises questions for environmental advocates about issues like bilge discharge (are there composting toilets onboard?), fuel sourcing, and carbon offsetting—especially with a high-profile environmentalist onboard.

The current crew consists of 12 individuals from a range of countries and professional backgrounds. Notably: Greta Thunberg (Sweden) – Global climate activist, now expanding her focus to include humanitarian issues.

Liam Cunningham (Ireland) – Actor known for his role in Game of Thrones, and an advocate for refugee rights and humanitarian causes.

Rima Hassan (France) – Human rights lawyer and newly elected member of the European Parliament, known for her outspoken support for Palestinian rights. She has previously been denied entry to Israel over security concerns.

Other crew members include activists, journalists, and medical professionals from around the world—including one from Turkey, where press freedom remains a contentious issue. While the group is diverse, they are united in their mission to highlight what they describe as a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Madleen is reportedly carrying basic aid supplies, including baby formula, food staples, hygiene products, and medical equipment. Still, given the vessel’s limited cargo capacity, its humanitarian impact is likely to be symbolic rather than substantial. The mission is as much political as logistical, aimed at drawing attention to the blockade, which restricts the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza.

Egypt, which also borders Gaza, reportedly charges refugees large sums—often around $5,000—for safe passage, limiting alternative escape routes for civilians.

Related: a pod of orcas sink a ship

Public reactions have been mixed. Some online voices have expressed harsh criticism and even hostility toward the voyage. Others see it as a legitimate and peaceful form of protest aimed at raising awareness.

The intersection of environmental and human rights activism is particularly visible in this mission. The coalition claims to minimize its environmental footprint using sails, yet questions remain about the broader sustainability and ethics of such journeys.

Related: he’s saving sea turtles that have experienced too much conflict

The use of flotillas to challenge the Gaza blockade has been done before, most notably the Mavi Marmara in 2010. That mission, organized by the Turkish NGO IHH, ended in violence when Israeli forces boarded the ship in international waters. Nine activists were killed, and a tenth died later from his injuries. Israel claimed self-defense, citing improvised weapons used by passengers that they found later. The IHH has faced allegations of ties to terrorist groups, which it denies. The event remains controversial and is cited by both sides of the debate as either a cautionary tale or a justification for resistance.

US Senator Lindsey Graham announced in a controversial post on X, “I hope Greta and her friends can swim.”

On X, the Maccabee Task Force wrote, “Greta Thunberg’s so-called “freedom flotilla” encapsulates the delusion and hypocrisy surrounding the Israel-Gaza war. This isn’t a humanitarian mission—it’s a Mediterranean leisure cruise.

“Participants are smiling, swimming, and filming TikTok videos. This is self-serving activism. And let’s be honest: she wouldn’t dare try this stunt anywhere near Hamas-controlled waters. She knows she’s safe because Israel has Hamas on the ropes. That’s what makes this spectacle possible. It’s not activism. Its performance. And it’s pathetic.”

Participants on the boat posted on X about a worrying drone circling overhead yesterday, “From Forensic Architecture: Helenic Coast Guard Heron drone was seen active close to your location a couple of hours ago – ADSB hasn’t updated assets location since 20:30 pm. It did a similar trajectory the last couple of days.”

It turned out to be Greek coast guard patrol drone doing routine surveillance.

Among the crew is Brazilian Thiago Ávila who supports “the resistance”. He met Hezbollah’s former leader Hassan Nasrallah in 2006 and also attended Nasrallah’s funeral in Beirut in February 2025. Here he is singing a “resistance” song aboard the boat, in a video posted to X. Hezbollah is considered a terror organization by the US, Canada and Europe, the Arab League, Japan etc.

Whether the Madleen’s voyage ends peacefully or is met with confrontation remains to be seen. What is clear is that such missions continue to stir international debate—not only about the politics of Gaza but also about the evolving roles of civil disobedience, humanitarian action, and environmental responsibility in an increasingly complex world.

While violence uprisings happen in the Middle East, there is little acceptance of peaceful protest, especially in Gaza. Before the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, people in Gaza had tried to rise up against Hamas and were met with a fatal warning or their end.

Meanwhile the Freedom Flotilla has an excellent opportunity to shed a light on Libya’s human rights abuses as it sails by Libya, a country mired in instability and lawlessness over a decade after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. Armed groups continue to operate with impunity, engaging in extrajudicial killings, kidnappings, and attacks on civilians.

Let us hope that this Gaza “flotilla of one” can offer more than just political controversy and instead deliver a message of unity, dignity, and peace for all people everywhere.

We are waiting for a response from Israel’s IDF on what Israel plans to do once Greta Thunberg enters its territory.

You can follow the yacht’s Garmin tracker here.

The post Freedom Flotilla sets sail toward Gaza with Greta Thunburg on board to liberate Gaza appeared first on Green Prophet.

Nestled in the heart of the Nalut District in northwestern Libya lies Ghadames, a captivating oasis Berber town that whispers tales of resilience and ingenuity through its labyrinthine streets and mud-brick buildings. Steeped in history and surrounded by the vastness of the Sahara Desert, Ghadames stands as a living testament to the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, showcasing the enduring beauty of sustainable architecture and vernacular building concepts.

Ghadamès is one of the oldest and most celebrated Saharan cities, also called the ‘Pearl of the Desert’, (Jawhart Al-Sahra) in Arabic. It has played a key role in the cultural and economic life of the region as an important and peaceful hub for caravan trade as part of the trans-Saharan network.

Ghadames, also known as Ghadamis, has long been celebrated for its unique architectural heritage, characterized by its distinctive mud-brick structures, narrow alleyways, and intricately designed courtyards. The town’s layout, with its interconnected buildings and covered passageways, serves as a natural defense against the scorching desert sun and sandstorms, while also fostering a sense of community and solidarity among its inhabitants.

A Lesson in Sustainable Architecture

At the heart of Ghadames’ architectural marvel lies the ingenious use of locally sourced materials, primarily mud, which offers natural insulation against extreme temperatures. The mud-brick construction, known as “tutufa,” not only regulates indoor temperatures but also provides a sustainable solution to the challenges posed by the desert environment.

By harnessing the thermal mass properties of mud, the buildings in Ghadames remain cool during the blistering heat of the day and retain warmth during chilly desert nights, without relying on modern heating or cooling systems.

The traditional architectural design of Ghadames prioritizes passive cooling techniques, such as narrow streets and shaded alleys, which promote natural ventilation and airflow. Courtyards, adorned with lush vegetation and cascading fountains, serve as tranquil retreats, offering respite from the relentless desert heat while promoting biodiversity within the urban landscape.

Lack of funds to preserve Ghadames and conflict in the region has led to the deterioration of the site reports UNESCO.

UNESCO says it is one of the oldest pre-Saharan cities and an outstanding example of a traditional settlement. Its domestic architecture is characterized by a vertical division of functions: the ground floor used to store supplies; then another floor for the family, overhanging covered alleys that create what is almost an underground network of passageways; and, at the top, open-air terraces reserved for the women.

In an era marked by rapid urbanization and the proliferation of modern construction techniques, the preservation of ancient building techniques found at Ghadames assumes paramount importance, despite lack of funds or conflicts in the Middle East. The town stands as a living testament to the sustainable practices of generations past, offering invaluable lessons in resourcefulness, adaptability, and environmental stewardship.

Passive air conditioning in Ghadames

The mud-brick construction techniques employed in Ghadames offer valuable insights into the potential of vernacular building concepts to address contemporary challenges, including climate change and resource scarcity. By harnessing locally available materials and traditional building methods, communities can reduce their carbon footprint, minimize construction costs, and create structures that seamlessly integrate with the surrounding ecosystem.

Vernacular building techniques in North Africa

Vernacular building techniques in North Africa reflect centuries of adaptation to the region’s climate, culture, and available resources. Here are ten leading vernacular building techniques commonly found in North Africa:

1. Adobe Construction: Utilizing sun-dried mud bricks, adobe construction is prevalent across North Africa. Adobe bricks, made from a mixture of clay, sand, water, and sometimes straw, are stacked and dried in the sun to form walls. This method provides excellent thermal insulation and is particularly suited to hot and arid climates.
2. Rammed Earth: Rammed earth construction involves compressing moistened earth into solid walls. This technique is durable, environmentally friendly, and offers good thermal mass, making it suitable for regions with varying climates, including North Africa.
3. Cob Building: Cob construction involves mixing clay-rich soil with straw or other fibrous materials to create a thick, malleable mixture. Builders then hand-sculpt this mixture into walls, which are left to dry naturally. Cob buildings are known for their durability and thermal properties.
4. Pise Construction: Pise de terre, or pisé, is a technique similar to rammed earth construction but involves forming walls by layering moistened earth within temporary wooden frames. Once compacted, the walls are left to dry, creating sturdy and well-insulated structures.
5. Stone Masonry: Stone masonry is a traditional building technique widely used across North Africa, particularly in regions with abundant natural stone resources. Builders use locally sourced stone, carefully fitting and stacking them to create solid walls and structures.
6. Thatched Roofing: Thatched roofs, typically made from dried palm leaves or grasses, are a common feature of vernacular architecture in North Africa. Thatching provides natural insulation and ventilation while offering protection from the sun and rain.
7. Vaulted and Domed Architecture: North African architecture often incorporates vaulted and domed structures, utilizing techniques such as brick or stone masonry to create intricate arches, domes, and vaults. These architectural features not only enhance aesthetic appeal but also provide structural stability and climate control.
8. Courtyard Design: Many traditional North African buildings feature central courtyards, surrounded by rooms or living spaces. This design maximizes natural light and ventilation while providing privacy and protection from the elements.
9. Mud Plastering: Mud plastering involves coating walls with a mixture of mud, clay, and straw to provide additional insulation, weatherproofing, and aesthetic finish. This technique is commonly used to enhance the durability and appearance of adobe or rammed earth structures.
10. Windcatchers: In some North African regions, windcatchers, also known as Malqaf or Barjeel, are incorporated into buildings to capture and direct airflow for natural ventilation and cooling. These architectural elements harness prevailing winds to improve indoor comfort, particularly during hot summer months.

The post Ghadames was Libya’s peaceful mud hub for caravan trade appeared first on Green Prophet.

A Jewish woman named Rachel kept a number of Hamas terrorists calm by preparing them cookies on the Oct 7 terror attack on Israeli communities outside the Gaza Strip. Jewish women do have their wiles, most apparent when it comes to cooking. Jewish women from North African countries such as Morocco, Tunisia and Libya are known for the tastiest food. Jewish traditions found in Israeli cooking incorporate flavors from the Diaspora. When Mia Schem (her Instagram is here), the Israeli-French national kidnapped by Hamas terrorists wanted to keep herself alive, she did what she knew best: she cooked Jewish food like her mother taught her and like her life depended on it.

Although she had only one functional arm, she instructed a group of Hamas terrorists what they needed to buy at the market, she said on the half hour video she released in Israel. She was going to cook for them a Libyan dish known as tbeha. Libyan food or Tripoli food, as it’s sometimes known in Israel, is rich with long-simmering sauces that include paprika (hot and sweet), cumin and maybe some baharat. They are North African stews best enjoyed with a chunk of fresh bread or a bowl of fluffy couscous.

Do you want to learn to cook to save your life? Try the life-saving meal, tbeha cooked by Mia Schem. This is a Green Prophet version of the tasty dish that can be cooked with chicken, beef or for protein you can add tofu or chick peas. Feel free to load up on the olive oil. It’s only good for you. Once you have the sauce down pat you can pretty much make plenty of variations adding potato, zucchini, chickpeas, English peas, and haricot vert. My favorite is with green peas and potatoes, plain and simple without the meat. The key is to cook and simmer for a long time, hours if you have the time.

In Jewish households it is customary to have pots of hot food simmering on a blech overnight well into the next day as religious or observant Jews do all their cooking before the Sabbath starts. This way, a real rest for all can be had, with bullies full and satisfied.

Ingredients for tebha:

Tebha can save your life. This Libyan dish was prepared by Mia Schem as a way to keep the Hamas terrorists keeping her in Gaza both calm and happy. Image via The MD Chef 

• 2 pounds chicken, cut into pieces
• 3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• small can of tomato paste
• 1 cup chickpeas cooked (canned or frozen is okay)
• 1/4 cup olive oil or more. You can lighten buy adding any tasteless vegetable oil.
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon or more hot paprika (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon baharat (you can make baharat from this recipe here)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh coriander or parsley for garnishing later
• optional variations: 1 pound green peas, green beans, green or brown lentils. Tomato chunks.

Instructions:

1. Sauté Vegetables:
   • In a large wide pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
   • Add chopped onions and minced garlic, sauté until softened.
   • Incorporate tomato paste, spices, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
2. Cook Chicken:
   • In a separate pot, brown the chicken or beef pieces on all sides with a bit of oil.
   • Once browned, add meet to sauce
3. Combine and Simmer:
   • Mix the ingredients well, ensuring the chicken is coated with the spices.
   • Pour in enough water to cover the ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer.
   • Add potatoes, and also add vegetables such as peas, green beans, lentils.
   • Let it cook over low heat until the chicken or beef is tender, and the flavors meld. You can make a variation with tofu or any other kind of vegan protein such as adding more chickpeas.
4. Adjust Seasoning:
   • Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add more salt, pepper, or spices to suit your preferences. We sometimes add a teaspoon of vegan soup mix for extra flavor. A dash of white wine or red never hurt anyone.
5. Serve:
   • Once the tbeha is cooked and the flavors have melded, it’s ready to be served.
   • Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley before serving on a fluffy bed of couscous.

Libyan cuisine is a reflection of the country’s rich history from North African, Jewish, Berber and Arab and Ottoman influences along with Italian cultures. In Libya, tbeha is a staple dish enjoyed during family gatherings and celebrations. It showcases the country’s agricultural abundance, with ingredients like chickpeas, lentils, and tomatoes being widely produced.

Want to know more about Libya’s sustainability initiatives and the environment there? Dive in here. Looking for more food? Here is an Iftar-inspired vegetarian couscous dish. Couscous common in North Africa is the national dish of Libya.

The post Mia Schem’s tbeha dish saved her life in Gaza appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Arab Energy Fund, previously known as the Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP), has announced a significant commitment of $1 billion to drive energy transition and decarbonization efforts. APICORP is wholly owned by the ten member states of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC).

The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries is a multi-governmental organization headquartered in Kuwait which coordinates energy policies among oil-producing Arab nations. Member countries include Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates. (Egypt’s membership was suspended in 1979, but it was readmitted in 1989. Tunisia ceased to be a member in 1987.) The headquarters are in Kuwait.

This investment, revealed at COP28 in Dubai, is what the oil and gas companies say is part of a strategic shift towards environmentally and socially responsible initiatives, including technological advancements for enhanced energy efficiencies and developing new value chains in the region.

APICORP focused on the MENA energy sector  planned investment of up to US $1 billion over the next five years towards advancing energy transition with a focus on decarbonization and related technologies. These could include hydrogen energy and storage breakthroughs and carbon sequestration technologies.

The Arab Energy Fund will rebalance its overall portfolio with continued loan growth and an enhanced focus on equity investments while continuing to innovate to expand its range of financing and direct equity solutions and expert advisory services.

Khalid Ali Al-Ruwaigh, CEO of The Arab Energy Fund announced at COP28: “The Arab Energy Fund transformative strategy marks the institution’s next chapter, deeply rooted in our 50-year legacy and our distinctive role in the MENA energy sector.

“It highlights our commitment to impact-driven solutions, leveraging our deep industry expertise and regional access to enable the evolving energy landscape towards a net-zero world. Our strategy involves diversifying investments by championing technological advancements for enhanced energy efficiencies and driving sustained decarbonization efforts. Additionally, we are extending our investment scope beyond the core value chain, actively cultivating and shaping value chains within the region.”

He added: “Our new strategy and name signify not only our dedication to empowering the region’s energy ecosystem but also resonate with our mission to create a meaningful impact by promoting economic growth, boosting local value chains and local content, through skill development, and fostering knowledge creation.”

Following the establishment of its green bond framework in 2021, the institution set a precedent in sustainable finance by issuing the first-ever green bond issuance by an energy-focused financial institution in the MENA region. The US-denominated five-year benchmark issuance raised an impressive US $750 million, over US $610 million of which has already been allocated to 11 projects in the region.

Currently, 18% of the institution’s US $4.5 billion existing loan portfolio, is dedicated to supporting environmentally and socially responsible initiatives, fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors, and pioneering a path toward more sustainable financing.

The Arab Energy Fund is also in the process of enhancing its ESG Policy Framework, also introduced in 2021, demonstrating the institution’s strong commitment to incorporating responsible business practices into its operations. This effort reflects the institution’s leadership in shaping a more sustainable and responsible future for all.

As the MENA region’s only multilateral impact financial institution, The Arab Energy Fund is also committed to backing the 2050 net zero commitments made by its member countries. The institution has publicly affirmed the imperative need for collective climate action to align with the significant goals laid out in the UN Paris Agreement.

In line with this commitment, the institution introduced several innovative financial solutions that are considered regional firsts, including its pioneering US $75 million Murabaha facility for voluntary carbon offsets and financing of distributed power portfolios.

The Arab Energy Fund stands among the highest-rated financial institutions in the MENA region, boasting ‘AA’ rating from Fitch, alongside ‘Aa2’ from Moody’s and ‘AA-‘ from S&P. This strong endorsement from the rating agencies and the robust regional support from member countries, along with substantial backing from the region’s energy ministries, underpinned by strong liquidity and credit profiles, positions the institution as a key player in championing a pragmatic and sustainable energy future.

The Arab Energy Fund – formerly the Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) – is a multilateral impact financial institution focused on the MENA energy sector established in 1974 by the ten Arab oil-exporting countries.

The post Arab Energy Fund commits $1 billion to energy transition and decarbonization appeared first on Green Prophet.

The world’s driest region, the Middle East* and North Africa (MENA), is getting drier at an alarming rate. And yet, despite massive population growth (the Middle East’s population grew 61 percent from 1990 to 2010 to 205 million people) predictions of so-called “water wars” have failed to materialize.

So how has a region that water experts say ceased to have enough water for its strategic needs in 1970 proved so resilient to water scarcity?

“Trade is the first means of being resilient; it’s the process that enables an economy to be resilient. The ability to trade effectively depends on the strength and diversity of the economy,” Anthony Allan from King’s College London and the School of Oriental and African Studies told IRIN, the UN’s humanitarian news source.

That does not literally mean that countries import water directly; it is rather that because so much water is used, not for drinking, but for agriculture (around 90 percent), by importing food staples like wheat you are in effect importing water, something Allan calls “virtual water”.

As a result, the region’s growing population imports around a third of its food – a figure that shoots up in the Gulf states where arable land is negligible.

But while such resilience may “miraculously” solve extreme water scarcity and make life that exists today possible in the Middle East, it can create its own vulnerabilities; countries need economies that can generate enough foreign currency to pay for imports.

That may be easy in oil-rich countries with small populations like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, but it is far more difficult in places like Egypt, which struggles to find the reserves to pay for wheat imports for its 84 million citizens in a context of declining crude oil exports and a slump in tourism.

Such trade “resilience” is also largely unaffordable in a place like Yemen – the region’s poorest country, which has 25 million people in an extremely water scarce (and hence food scarce) environment.

Each Yemeni only has access to about 140 cubic metres of water annually and the capital, Sana’a, is on track to be the first in the world without a viable water supply.

While trade, an abundance of historically cheap food on international markets, and for some oil – sold at high prices – have combined to create an unexpected resilience in the face of water scarcity, such lessons may not travel well in the developing world.

Trade may have reduced dependency on local water supplies, but it has shifted dependency to international markets and exposed people to fluctuating world prices.

“Water scarcity is not new to the region”
It has also hidden the gravity of the water scarcity situation in the Middle East and made it easier to neglect the development of other solutions to a problem that shows no sign of going away.

A recent study of NASA satellite data published last month found that parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran along the Tigris and Euphrates river basins had lost 144 cubic kilometres of water from 2003 to 2009 – roughly equivalent to the volume of the Dead Sea.

An analysis of the data published in the Water Resources Research journal attributes about 60 percent of the loss to the pumping of groundwater from underground reservoirs – reserves people fall back on when rivers dry up.

Underground reserves can only last so long, and importing ever increasing amounts of food to feed a growing population is not an option for poorer countries.

Nevertheless, there are other lessons in water scarcity resilience from the Middle East – either measures that have been shown to build resilience, or that water experts have come to understand would improve the strength of the system to further shocks if they were broadly implemented.

Some of these solutions are not new.

For a start, though the region may be drying, it has been dry for a long time.

And to this date, this Middle East region is not the only one facing the phenomenon of drought. Australia is considered as the earth’s driest lived-in continent, with only the smallest parts of the region as regular wetland, compared to the rest of the continents. Solutions are invested in to help the citizens cope up with chronic drought, like rainwater harvesting. In this area the government gives education and incentives. One solution is Supatank, a tank manufacturer, which helps disseminate solutions and lessens the installation burden for households.

Factbox
The Arab region is projected to face severe water shortages as early as 2015, when annual per capita water availability will be less than 500 cubic metres. This is less than one-tenth of the world’s average (currently estimated at over 6,000 cubic metres), according to a 2010 report by the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED).

The region faces the worst water scarcity in the world – up to 100 million people could be under water stress by 2050.

Because of its reliance on rain-fed agriculture, the region’s agricultural output could decrease 20-40 percent by 2080. “Water scarcity is not new to the region,” Hamed Assaf, a water resource management specialist at the American University of Sharjah in the UAE, told IRIN. “It has been the norm for thousands of years and people have adapted their survival strategies to changes in rainfall and temperature,” he told IRIN.

With scientist predicting an increase in extreme weather events, adaptability has become increasingly important. It is also true that there remains a degree of unpredictability in the system, particularly in Egypt where it is not clear if future rainfall will increase or decrease.

Resilience is about being strong in the face of whatever happens. And in any situation, strong water systems make the most of what they have – including through treating and reusing waste water like at the Al Gabal Asfar water treatment plant in Egypt.

Rainwater harvesting

One old technique is rainwater harvesting. “In Jordan there are indications of early water harvesting structures believed to have been constructed over 9,000 years ago,” Rida Al-Adamat, director of the Water, Environment and Arid Regions Research Centre at Jordan’s al-Bayt University, told IRIN.

Jordan harvests 400-420 million cubic metres of water annually, according to Ministry of Water and Irrigation spokesperson Omar Salameh.

“We have 10 major dams with a total capacity of 325 million cubic metres, in addition to hundreds of sand dams in different locations to develop local communities and recharge groundwater.”

Water harvesting can be done at the household level especially in areas that get enough rainfall during the rainy season. “If your area gets 500mm of rain per year, you can collect enough water for household use,” said Assaf.

“In Lebanon, people used to build ponds to collect water during winter and use it later on for irrigation and breeding animals,” said Assaf.

“The main idea of water harvesting is to increase green water or soil moisture… Farmers in the region used to build small sand barriers on slopes to prevent the water from going down and thus recharge the area. Then they used to plant in the areas behind the barriers,” he added.

Water management solutions with data

A key aspect of efficient water use is data collection – important for sound water management at the country level.

“As the saying goes: what you cannot measure you cannot manage,” Heba Yaken, water and sanitation operation analyst at the World Bank office in Cairo, told IRIN. “It is important to know how much you are consuming in order to manage it in a good way.”

Jordan, which some say has one of the most monitored water scarcity situations in the world, has gained widespread recognition for its data collection.

“Jordan’s data is relatively well organized, especially when it comes to agriculture. The volume of water consumption is precisely known in every area. They have installed measuring tools in every area so they know what kinds of crops are being cultivated and the amount of water they consume,” Hiba Hariri from the Arab Water Council told IRIN.

Data-sharing in the region is limited, according to Yaken. “Countries are not as transparent as they should be,” she said.

Other innovative solutions for water management

A whole range of solutions are being piloted and recommended in the Middle East.

In Egypt, the Arab Spring has encouraged farmers to become more outspoken in demanding their water rights, says Yaken from the World Bank.

Farmers have come together in “water users’ associations” to help manage supplies and become more aware of water scarcity issues.

“Farmers are now responsible for the `mesqas’ [canals]”, Yaken told IRIN.

“People at the tail of the `mesqa’ don’t get as much water as the people upstream. People are receiving much more training so that they can manage those disputes between the different farmers, and different demands,” she said.

Elsewhere, capacity building is being carried out by the German Agency for International Cooperation, which is running a climate change adaptation scheme designed to help Arab states climate-proof water systems.

While trade provides substitutes for much agricultural water use, the remaining 10 percent of water needs are increasingly being met by desalination, half of which globally is carried out in the Middle East.

Recent years have seen a large increase in desalination, clearly useful in a region without any landlocked countries, but it is an energy-intensive phenomenon almost entirely powered by fossil fuel power, which raises other environmental concerns.

Saudi Arabia uses 1.5 million barrels of oil a day to power its desalination plants, although it is looking to develop solar-powered plants.

Solar is a largely unexplored option for desalination, but also for increasing the efficiency of water systems, through technologies like solar-powered water pumps.

Water consumption

But although desalination may become an increasingly affordable, and renewable, solution, water experts say it can only be used as part of wider reforms.

A more resilient water system will also need adaptions on the demand side, including more efficient consumption of water, as well as cooperation between countries on the sustainable use of current resources.

“The problem is that we have short-term plans that change with the change of personnel or ministers,” said Hariri from the Arab Water Council.

As climate change and population growth increase pressure on water systems, the MENA region will need to be increasingly efficient in its use of water – and may have lessons for other parts of the world.

*The definition of Middle East used in the OECD/World Bank figures is Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, Yemen, but not Israel or OPT.

This story is reprinted from IRIN, a UN news agency. Photo of Egyptians fetching water. Water scarcity has already become a fact of daily life for Egyptians © Amr Emam/IRIN

The post Export Oil, Import Water = Risky Economics for Middle East appeared first on Green Prophet.

According to experts, climate change and rising food insecurity are major contributors to the recent destabilization of Mali and southern Algeria

Over the last couple of years, there has been a growing link between climate change and political issues in the Middle East. During the Arab Spring there was a real recognition that rising food prices caused by droughts in Russia and the US brought ordinary people to the streets in protests like never before. In Syria, poor water policies were held up as a major contribution to the drought which forced 500,000 Syrians to flee their homes. Now, experts state that global warming is also playing a role in the destabilization of Mali and southern Algeria which has hit the news.

Writing at ‘Informed Comment’, Juan Cole states that although the conflict erupting in Mali is complex politically and socially, changing ecology caused by climate change is a major contributor to the region’s problems. The climate of the Sahel, which Mali is a part of, has fluctuated significantly over the last 100 years:

“In the first 7 decades of the twentieth century, the region got a fair amount of rainfall, and lower Mali where the capital of Bamako is could raise livestock, making Malians agriculturally relatively well off. The consequent rise in population (Mali is now about 15 million) probably made the country overpopulated for what it could sustain in the more arid decades after 1980, when the warming waters of the Indian Ocean produced dry conditions in the Sahel.”

As more and more carbon was (and still is) pumped out by countries all over the world, the climate of the Sahel has become drier. According to a report released October 2012 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on food security in Mali, things look set to get worse. Based on the worst case scenarios that they have evaluated, it is estimated that global warming could reduce the amount of food produced in Mali by as much as 16% by 2050. The report also found that the population sustained by agricultural production may encounter a reduced standard of living with an additional 1,130,000 people in rural areas falling below the poverty line by 2050.

Even more worrying, climate change is expected to pose an additional threat to 12% of the population who are currently food insecure and more broadly, to small marginal farmers in many sub-Saharan countries. And all this will no doubt have huge social and political implications.

As Cole points out in his article, climate change factors have already contributed to the political situation which Mali finds itself: “The weakness of the Mali government likely is related to the drought years of the past decade, during which hundreds of thousands of Malians were forced to emigrate to other countries and the agricultural productivity and tax base of the more fertile south was devastated…The drought of the 1970s caused thousands of northern Mali Tuaregs to go to Libya. Col. Muammar Qaddafi organized them as a mercenary unit. Qaddafi, however, dissolved it in the late 1980s, at which time many Tuareg came back to Mali and participated in the 1990 coup.”

For more on the politics and environment connection in MENA see:

Unsustainable Water Policies Crippled The Assad Regime (INTERVIEW)

Climate Change Could be as Dangerous to Syria as Bashar al-Assad

500,000 Syrians Flee Drought-Stricken Zone

#Occupy Climate Change: The Arab Spring & Occupy Wall St

: Image of young girl watering vegetables in Mali via abossuet/flickr.

: Informed Comment

The post Climate Change Contributing to Mali-Algeria Conflict appeared first on Green Prophet.

The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is alerting North Africa to prepare people and food producers about a damaging swarm of locusts expected to move in over the coming weeks. A small swarm of locusts can eat the food of 35,000 people but they can also eradicate a wheat field in no time.

The UN organization is alerting North Africa’s Algeria, Libya, Mauritania and Morocco to prepare for the likely arrival of Desert Locust swarms from the Sahel in West Africa in the coming weeks. It won’t be the first swarm of this year to move into North Africa.

The four countries are being urged to stand by to mobilize their field teams to detect the arrival of the swarms and control them. Good summe rains in other parts of Africa are to blame.

Summer rains raise swarms

Swarms of adult locusts are currently forming in Chad and are about to form in Mali and Niger following good summer rains that provided favourable conditions for two generations of breeding and which triggered a 250-fold increase in locust populations in those countries.

Prevailing winds and historical precedents make it likely the swarms, once formed, will fly to Algeria, Libya, southern Morocco and northwestern Mauritania,” said Keith Cressman, FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer. “Once there, they could damage pastures and subsistence rain-fed crops. They could also pose a threat to harvests in Chad, Mali and Niger.”

After becoming airborne, swarms of tens of millions of locusts can fly up to 150 km a day with the wind. Female locusts can lay 300 eggs within their lifetime while a Desert Locust adult can consume roughly its own weight in fresh food per day — about two grams every day. A very small swarm eats the same amount of food in one day as about 35 000 people.

Locusts cripple food security

While not sound and “green” advice the FAO has brokered agreements with countries that have available appropriate pesticide stocks – Algeria, Morocco and Senegal – to donate them to Mali, Niger and Chad. This will avoid increasing stockpiles of hazardous chemicals in the region. The supplies are being airlifted with the support of the World Food Programme.

Frontline countries in the Sahel such as Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Chad have trained locust survey and control teams but they need external assistance, especially vehicles, equipment and pesticides, to respond effectively to a full-scale emergency. Mali is particularly short of equipment after more than 30 pickup trucks were looted in the northern part of the country.

The post Locust swarm alert appeared first on Green Prophet.

Clear Libyan streets of trash and traffic for a brighter and more democratic future says expert

Security concerns in Libya may be top of the political agenda, but more goodwill could be earned if socio-economic problems such as traffic and trash are tackled says Rhiannon Smith, who is an economic development expert in Libya. Post-revolution, Libya is struggling with pressing security concerns, disunity and division along religious and ethnic lines. As such, political progress away from a long authoritarian past to a more democratic future has been painfully slow. The solution is tackling problems that all Libyans face and there isn’t more that unites Libyans in despair than the traffic and trash problem.

These “are issues that could be actively addressed with minimal controversy and relatively little effort which would not only improve living standards across the country, but also lay the groundwork for the psychological transition from authoritarianism to democracy,” writes Smith in OpenDemocracy.

With petrol cheaper than mineral water and a threadbare public transport infrastructure, the streets of Libya are congested and dangerous. A hike in petrol prices and greater enforcement of traffic rules is one quick solution whilst the public infrastructure is built up. As well as cutting back the congestion, the traffic law enforcement could be the “first step towards re-establishing rule of law in post-Gaddafi Libya.”

Another major issue facing Libyans is trash. On the streets, in the alleyways, in parks and schools, it’s clear that the country has a chronic litter problem. The main reason behind this is the absence of an organised, well-funded rubbish collection service and a general acceptance of littering. Smith argues that a massive overhaul is needed in the long-run but for now, a bigger workforce and modern collection vehicles would be a step in the right direction.

“Not only would the environment be cleaner and healthier, removing the litter could help kindle Libya’s fledgling tourism industry,” adds Smith. “Perhaps more importantly, cleaning the streets will show that the government is doing its job and might encourage people to consider the consequences of throwing their rubbish on the streets.”

It turns out that what’s good for the planet is also good for democracy – and there is nowhere that could benefit from more democracy and environmental action than the Arab world.

: OpenDemocracy

:: Image of Libyan children cleaning the streets via Times of Malta.

For more on Libya see:

Was The Arab Spring Good for Renewable Energy?

Libyan Artist Turns Weapons of War Into Sculptures

MENA is Changing Drastically & NASA Has The Pictures To Prove It

The post Libya’s Post-Revolution Trash and Traffic Problems appeared first on Green Prophet.

Unless you have been living in a consumer-induced coma, it will not have escaped your attention that the world is under serious environmental stress. And a large chunk of that stress has been human-induced. Whilst the exact influence of human behaviour is hard to measure, the carbon we keep pumping into the atmosphere is definitely not helping.

Indeed we are seeing more floods, droughts, melting ice, desertification and a continued gutting of our seas. The Middle East is no different and NASA has the pictures to prove it. So brace yourself – this is not going to be pretty.

Lake shrinkage in Iran

Left: August 1985. Right: August 2010.

Iran’s Lake Oroumeih (also spelled Urmia) is the largest lake in the Middle East and the third largest saltwater lake on Earth. But dams on feeder streams, expanded use of ground water, and a decades-long drought have reduced it to 60 percent of the size it was in the 1980s. Light blue tones in the 2010 image represent shallow water and salt deposits. Increased salinity has led to an absence of fish and habitat for migratory waterfowl. At the current rate, the lake will be completely dry by the end of 2013.

Images taken by the Thematic Mapper sensor aboard Landsat 5. Source: USGS Landsat Missions Gallery, U.S. Department of the Interior / U.S. Geological survey.

Urban Growth in Morocco

Left: July 2, 1985. Right: June 24, 2011.

The Moroccan cities of Agadir, Inezgane and Tikiouine are close to the Atlantic coastline (seen in blue in the images), and stretch into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Agadir was nearly destroyed by an earthquake in 1960. Reconstruction has focused on tourism, turning this area into a winter destination. The 1985 image shows the area 25 years into the rebuilding. By 2011, the urban areas reach into the Sahara Desert. Growth has been influenced by the expanding fishing industry and modern commercial ports.

Images taken by the Thematic Mapper sensor onboard Landsat 5. Source: USGS Landsat Missions Gallery, “Urban Growth in Morocco, 1985-2011,” U.S. Department of the Interior / U.S. Geological Survey. 

Oil fires of War in Kuwait

Sabriyah Oil Field, Kuwait. Left: February 2, 1991. Right: July 15, 2011.

Iraqi forces set hundreds of oil wells ablaze during the US-led Gulf War following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1991. Some six million barrels of oil per day went up in smoke. Residue darkened the normally light-colored soil, as seen in the 1991 image. By 2011, the environment has largely recovered. Smoke plumes in the latter image are from fires normally set to burn off gases from the wells.

1991 image taken by the Thematic Mapper sensor aboard Landsat 5. 2011 images taken by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus aboard Landsat 7. Source: USGS Landsat Missions Gallery, U.S. Department of the Interior / U.S. Geological Survey. 

Agricultural Growth in Saudi

Only a few centimeters (about one inch) of rain falls in the Saudi Arabian desert each year, but crops still grow thanks to aquifers deep below the surface, which contain water trapped during the last Ice Age and rainwater that fell over several hundred thousand years. Saudi Arabia drills through the desert floor and irrigates the fields with a circular sprinkler system known as center-pivot irrigation.

Hydrologists estimate that it will be economical to pump this water only for about 50 more years. In these images, the agricultural fields are about one kilometer (0.62 mile) across. Healthy vegetation appears bright green while dry vegetation looks orange. Barren soil is dark pink and urban areas, like the town of Tubarjal at the top of each image, are purple.

Images taken by the Thematic Mapper sensor onboard Landsat 4 and 5, and the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus sensor onboard Landsat 7. Source: NASA/Aries Keck, Goddard Space Flight Center.

Lake degradation in Tunisia

Ichkeul Lake, northern Tunisia. Left: November 14, 2001. Right: July 29, 2005

Although the water level in lake Ichkel is higher, a large part of the lake appears red due to the presence of aquatic plants. Ichkeul Lake and wetlands are a major stopover point for hundreds of thousands of migrating birds who come to feed and nest. It is the last remaining lake in a chain that once extended across North Africa, and has badly deteriorated as a result of the construction of three dams on rivers supplying it and its marshes, which have cut off almost all inflow of freshwater. The Tunisian government plans to undertake various measures to retain freshwater in the lake on a year-round basis and reduce the salinity of the lake.

Images taken by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) onboard NASA’s Terra satellite. Credit: NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. Source: the ASTER gallery.

The impact of dams in Turkey

Goksu River basin, southeastern Turkey. Left: July 11, 1987. Right: July 13, 2011.

In 1990, a series of seven dams was started in the Goksu River basin to provide long-term hydroelectric power to the region. Government officials and others are using Landsat satellite data to monitor the growth and impact of these dams, since the Goksu is one of the few remaining free-flowing rivers in Turkey. The Gezende dam, completed in the early 1990s, reduced flow downstream and significantly affected aquatic species, while construction of the Ermenek dam in the early 2000s created a large reservoir that flooded fragile wildlife habitat.

Images taken by the Thematic Mapper sensor aboard Landsat 5. Source: USGS Landsat Missions Gallery, “Goksu River Dam Project,” U.S. Department of the Interior / U.S. Geological Survey.

The Dead Sea’s Water

Left: November 9, 1984. Right: November 28, 2011.

The Dead Sea is one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water, too salty to harbor any life other than bacteria. Minerals from the sea, however, are extracted for various industrial purposes. Mineral evaporation ponds have replaced open water in the southern part of the sea, as can be seen in the 2011 image. In recent decades, the Dead Sea has shrunk as water has been diverted from the Jordan River, the sea’s main tributary. A plan has been announced to replenish the Dead Sea by building a canal from the Red Sea, providing fresh (desalinated) water to Jordan en route.

1984 image taken by the Thematic Mapper sensor onboard Landsat 5. 2011 image taken by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus sensor onboard Landsat 7. Source: USGS Landsat Missions Gallery, “The Dead Sea,” U.S. Department of the Interior / U.S. Geological Survey.

Urban Sprawl in Saudi’s Capital

The Saudi Arabian capital. Left: 1972. Middle: 1990. Right: 2000.

Over time the population of Riyadh has soared from about half a million to more than two million. In the early 1970s, three times as many Saudi Arabians lived in rural areas as in cities. By 1990, the ratio had reversed — cities held three times as many as the rural regions.

Images taken by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument. Courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.

Agricultural growth in Libya

Left: January 13 to April 28, 1987. Right: March 25 to April 3, 2010.

With among the least renewable water of the North African countries, Libya relies on groundwater to meet 95 per cent of its water needs. In the 1960s, the discovery of water in deep aquifers under Libya’s southern desert inspired an enormous water transfer scheme — the Great Man-Made River Project, one of the largest civil engineering enterprises in the world. These images show the increase in irrigation in the Murzuq Basin in southeastern Libya made possible by water drawn from the east and northeast Jabal Hasaouna well fields.

Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Taken from the Africa Water Atlas (2010); Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya.

Lake Shrinkage in Egypt

Toshka, Egypt. Left: September 13, 1984 to September 29, 1987. Center: August 23 to September 1, 2000. Right: March 21 to 28, 2010.

In the mid-1990s, excess water was channeled from the Lake Nasser reservoir on the Nile River to the Toshka Depression in the Western Desert, creating a series of lakes. This “New Valley Project” was to relieve overcrowding within the Nile Valley and boost the economy. Despite soil poorly suited to irrigation, the area produced grapes, cantaloupes, tomatoes, cucumbers, citrus fruits and wheat. But Lake Nasser water levels fell after 1998 and flow to Toshka ceased in 2001. At the current rate of decline, the new lakes will be lost to evaporation within the next few years.

Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). From Africa Atlas of our Changing Environment (2008); Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya.

For more on the changing climate of MENA see: 
Middle East Water Woes Beg for Environmental Sewage Solutions
How NASA Sees the Changing Middle East Landscape
Middle East Illusions Change Reality

The post MENA Is Changing Drastically & NASA Has The Pictures To Prove It appeared first on Green Prophet.