The Arab Region has an extremely poor supply of water resources with
many areas experiencing unpredictable rainfall. Taking population size
and growth into consideration, the Arab Region is considered one of the
world’s most water-stressed regions, with continuously decreasing per
capita freshwater availability. Despite the strenuous efforts made by
the Arab countries in augmenting their water supplies to meet increasing
demands, the emphasis on the supply-driven approach for water
management has not only reached its physical and financial limits for
many countries and led to the over-exploitation of the region’s natural
water resources, but has also demonstrated its inability to deliver a
substantial degree of water sustainability or security. Currently, Arab
countries are experiencing an alarming future of increasing water
scarcity and increasing water demands and supply costs, which might not
only threaten their future development and hamper human and
socio-economic development efforts, but also the preservation and
sustainability of their past socio-economic achievements. A major review
of and shift in water policies in Arab countries, emphasizing demand
management and conservation is urgently needed, with the overall
objective of securing long-term water supplies while meeting strict
criteria for socio-economic, financial and environmental sustainability,
and public health requirements. The successful implementation of these
policies would be the cornerstone for coping with water scarcity in the
region. Moreover, shared water resources should be given high priority
in order to reach agreements and form treaties regarding water
allocation, including quality considerations, according to international
water law. Finally, unless there is a major shift in the population
policies of the region, the water problem will continue to be a major
constraint to its future development
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق