Arab region lagging in progress toward water goals

When it comes to water problems, the Arab world has it all. Wildly variable hydro-climatic conditions, contested rivers flowing across borders, over-subsidized irrigation with rapidly depleting groundwater storage, industrial pollution, and inefficient utilities to name a few. Edoardo Borgomeo and colleagues have just published a nice review article covering all of these issues. No new ground is covered in their work, but it provides a concise, information-laden summary of current knowledge, plus a status report on progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal relating to water (spoiler: the region is not on track).

…the narrative of water scarcity and supply-side technological fixes masks more systemic issues that threaten sustainable water management, including under-performing water utilities, protracted armed conflict and displacement, agricultural policies aimed at self-sufficiency, evolving food consumption behaviors, the future of energy markets, and educational policy.

Recommended reading if you’re looking for a primer on water problems of the Arab world. Link here.