Beyond Oil and Nuclear: The Most Acute Existential Threat Is Somewhere Else Entirely | Weekend Special
The article argues that the water crisis, exacerbated by climate change, is the most severe security threat in the Middle East, more so than oil or nuclear. It notes that 15 of the 20 countries suffering from water scarcity are in the region, citing examples from the Nile Basin, the Euphrates and Tigris, and Iran. Israel is portrayed as a 'water superpower' with 80% desalination and 90% recycling, using 'water diplomacy' with Jordan, including the frozen Prosperity project. The article warns of the vulnerability of desalination plants and pollution from the Mountain Aquifer.
The article argues that the most acute security threat in the Middle East is not oil or nuclear, but the water crisis, exacerbated by climate change. It notes that about 15 of the 20 countries suffering from the most severe water scarcity are in the region. In the Nile Basin, Ethiopia built the Renaissance Dam, and Egypt sees it as an existential threat. In the Euphrates and Tigris Basin, Turkish dams have reduced water flow to Syria and Iraq, and the drought in Syria between 2006 and 2011 contributed to internal migration and civil war. In Iran, mismanagement and over-extraction have caused lakes to dry up, land subsidence in Isfahan, and protests. The article highlights Israel's status as a 'water superpower' with 80% desalination and 90% wastewater recycling, and its 'water diplomacy', including the Prosperity project with Jordan and the UAE, which was frozen. It warns of the vulnerability of desalination plants and pollution from the Mountain Aquifer.