Middle East, North Africa water crisis must be top of the agenda at COP28

Water is life—yet the water crisis in the Middle East and North Africa continues to worsen without a viable solution in sight.

At the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28) in Dubai, we must come together and create a concrete, realistic, and consensual roadmap for the cooperative and productive management of water resources. This roadmap must be part of broader regional and international frameworks that save lives, increase equity, and ensure communities across the Middle East, North Africa — and the world — are able to adapt to climate change.

A tipping point

Although we have been facing a water crisis for years, the situation is becoming more severe, exacerbated by sustained climate change-induced droughts and extreme heat. Jordan is the second-most water scarce country in the world, following only Somalia. Among myriad water shortages across the region, discharge from the Euphrates River in Iraq and Syria dramatically dropped this year, Iran’s Lake Urmia is almost dry, and Egypt is facing severe water scarcity.

Most major groundwater sources in the region cross borders. A transboundary crisis of this magnitude requires a new era of regional cooperation, where we move from resource competition to resource sharing, looking beyond the expediency of myopic political decisions in the interest of long-term resilience.

We’re in this together

COP28 presents a perfect opportunity to commit to widespread water citizenship — fair ownership and loyalty toward water sources and infrastructure, the wise use of water resources, and the joining of efforts to achieve equitable access to water. For water citizenship to work, we must constantly measure and assess the state of our water supply. That’s why we need regional research hubs for collecting and sharing data, and translating science into evidence that can be applied by policymakers to develop smart water management policies.

Water is inherently linked to the conservation and management of energy, food, and entire ecosystems. Governments, academia, and international organisations must arrive at an evidence-based, shared understanding of these environmental concerns to develop integrated solutions. The Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystem Nexus regional community of practice established by the Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management, which works on converting and merging science, technological, and industrial innovations into real-life improvements for citizens, is a great step in that direction.

Water – A women’s issue

Water is everyone’s concern, but its accessibility has direct and specific impacts on the health and well-being of women and girls. Women are most of the world’s food producers and are on the frontlines of caring for their families. This means they are often charged with ensuring water is in supply.

When there is no immediate access to water, girls miss school to fetch water for their families, and women’s time is usurped by water collection, hindering them from keeping a job. On their journey for water, they may be subjected to sexual and gender-based violence. Without potable water, their children can become sick from waterborne illness or malnourished without access to sufficient food.

Lastly, when there is too much financial hardship, girls pay the price. According to the last Sustainable Development Goal report, 110 million girls are likely to become child brides by 2030.

Tabinda Sarosh is President, South Asia, Middle East, and North Africa, Pathfinder International.