Exploring Water Patterns in the Middle East

The Exploring Water Patterns in the Middle East project addresses a problem that is particularly severe in the Middle Eastern region and has been key to its development, namely water resources. Moreover, it is of crucial importance for the region’s neighbors including Europe and the world as a whole, since water has—due to the specific conditions on the ground—become a subject of international relations with significant security, economic, social and humanitarian implications.
Dealing with the Middle Eastern water resources indeed requires a highly complex approach. The wide variety of aspects that must be addressed includes: demographic growth, food self-sufficiency, increasing consumption by industry and tourism, ineffectiveness of agriculture, consumption patterns, political tensions, existing conflicts, climate change, economic regulations of the water sector, lack of FDI, institutional framework, inter-state co-operation, religious and traditional repercussions concerning water, social impacts, environmental strains, and many others.
If there were no advances made in solving these issues and if the worst-case scenarios materialized, the region could face a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe eventually leading to open conflicts, economic breakdown and worldwide destabilization.

The Goals
The project intends to help facilitate a peaceful and sustainable resolution of tensions over freshwater resources in the Middle East. Its methodology is based on the assumption that a great degree of synergy is necessary between the realms of science (technology), business (investment) and politics. Consideration must also be given to impacts of water sector changes on the environment and social systems of the respective countries. Each of these dimensions will be addressed individually before they are finally integrated into a unified approach.
The project in its entirety aims at collecting and exchanging know-how, experience and opinions among all stakeholders in order to create a situation of common understanding where a plan for concerted action becomes possible. The plan must be carried out through a joint effort of local governments, experts, international institutions, companies and civil society. Any resulting improvements will further support cooperation, stability and peace in the region.

Workshop in Amman, Jordan