Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

15 WaterResourcesWaterCASE STUDYWater Conflictsin the Middle EastIn the near future, water-short countries in the MiddleEast are likely to engage in conflicts over access to waterresources. Most water in this dry region comesfrom three shared river basins: the Nile, Jordan, andTigris–Euphrates (Figure 15-1).Three countries—Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt—use most of the water that flows in Africa’s Nile River,with Egypt being last in line along the river.To meet the water needs of its rapidly growingpopulation, Ethiopia plans to divert more water fromthe Nile. So does Sudan. Such upstream diversionswould reduce the amount of water available toEgypt, which cannot exist without irrigationwater from the Nile.Egypt can go to war with Sudan andEthiopia for more water, cut population growth,or improve irrigation efficiency. Other optionsare to import more grain to reduce the need forirrigation water, work out water-sharing agreementswith other countries, or suffer the harshhuman and economic consequences of hydrologicalpoverty.The Jordan basin is by far the most watershortregion, with fierce competition for its wateramong Jordan, Syria, Palestine (Gaza and theWest Bank), and Israel.Syria plans to build dams and withdrawmore water from the Jordan River, decreasingthe downstream water supply for Jordan and Israel.Israel warns that it may destroy the largestdam that Syria plans to build.Turkey, located at the headwaters of theTigris and Euphrates rivers, controls how muchwater flows downstream to Syria and Iraq beforeemptying into the Persian Gulf. Turkey isbuilding 24 dams along the upper Tigris andEuphrates to generate electricity and irrigate alarge area of land.If completed, these dams will reduce theflow of water downstream to Syria and Iraq byMEDITERRANEANSEALEBANONWEST BANKGAZAEGYPTup to 35% in normal years and much more in dryyears. Syria also plans to build a large dam along theEuphrates to divert water arriving from Turkey. Thiswill leave little water for Iraq and could lead to a waterwar between it and Syria.Resolving these water distribution problems willrequire a combination of regional cooperation in allocatingwater supplies, slowed population growth, improvedefficiency in water use, higher water prices tohelp improve irrigation efficiency, and increased grainimports to reduce water needs. This will not be easy.To many analysts, emerging water shortages inmany parts of the world—along with the related problemsof biodiversity loss and climate change—are thethree most serious environmental problems the worldfaces during this century.NileNileSUDANTURKEYRED SEAEuphratesSYRIAISRAELIRAQJORDANETHIOPIATigrisARMENIAKUWAITSAUDIARABIABAHRAINQATARYEMENDJIBOUTISOMALIAPersian GulfUNITED ARABEMIRATESIRANOMANFigure 15-1 The Middle East, whose countries have some of the highestpopulation growth rates in the world. Because of the dry climate, food productiondepends heavily on irrigation. Existing conflicts between countriesin this region over access to water may soon overshadow both long-standingreligious and ethnic clashes and take over valuable oil supplies.