The New York Times. (2023, January 14). Cooperation on Climate Is Emerging in the Middle East. Retrieved January 29, 2023 from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/14/world/middleeast/climate-middle-east-davos.html?searchResultPosition=11
The article “Cooperation on Climate Is Emerging in the Middle East” discusses how Israel and other countries in the Middle East are working together to combat climate change and get enough clean water. The Middle East is an especially dry area, so water is an important issue. In the past, wealthy countries like the Emirates have created clean drinking water by using desalinating techniques. With the new talks, Israel has made desalinated water available to poorer countries like Jordan by trading it for renewable energy plants.
Especially in recent months there has been lots of tension and violence between Israel and other Middle Eastern countries, so it is nice to see cooperation between them, at least on this issue. Although desalination is an energy intensive process, clean water is definitely a necessary resource, so I think it’s fine that they’re using such techniques. Additionally, they are creating solar energy farms that will hopefully offset some of the energy.
Excellent connection to geopolitics and water rights! Do you think that political strife between Israel and neighboring Middle Eastern countries will soon halt production of water accumulation?
Thank you for your response! I think that political strife definitely could halt production, especially as tensions increase as a result of the current Israeli government. However, I hope production continues even as tensions increase, since water rights and management affects everyone.
This is very interesting because these areas are finally coming together over a very important issue. Do you think political or religious conflicts will interfere with the collaborations?
Thank you for responding! I do think it’s groundbreaking how these countries are working together and I hope it continues. However, I think political or religious conflicts could definitely affect the plan.