Living with Water Scarcity

1. Living with Water Scarcity By Muhammad Saidam, PhD Royal Scientific Society – JORDAN February 2010

2. Outline • The water scarcity backdrop • Roots, worldwide extent , e.g. MENA region. • Implications • Food production, health, environment, poverty, relations • Mitigation and alternatives

4. Water Scarcity Indices 500 - 1000 m3/capita/year chronic water scarcity 1000 m3/capita/year is, on average, the minimum amount of water required to satisfy a person’s need for drinking, hygiene and food water stress (1000 – 1600) <500 m3/capita/year beyond the ‘water barrier’ of manageable capability Source: MalinFalkenmarks (Stockholm International Water Institute)

5. Rogers, 2008

8. Total Renewable Water Withdrawn (%) Source: Compiled from FAO AQUASTAT data for 1998–2002.

11. Jordan • Climate: Mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) • Terrain: Mostly desert plateau in east (80%) • Population: ~5.723 million (2007), Growth ~ 2.2%

12. Freshwater Availability ~75% receives < 100 mm/yr ~ 87% receives < 200 mm/yr Source: NMP

13. Projections Source: NMP

14. Water Issues … • Availability: • insufficient per capita quantity • discontinuous supply ( two days per week) • Accessibility / affordability • Water supply is still subsidized by the government • water prices still affordable by the poor • water prices for tanked water are 8-10 times more than piped water • Water Quality: • Groundwater of increasing salinity • Surface water is inadequate for drinking without extensive treatment

15. Impact of Climate Change a 20% decrease in rainfall

16. Declining Dead Sea Water Source: World Bank, Red Sea - Dead Sea Study, 2008

17. Consequences… Dead Sea!

18. The Red-Dead Proposed Canal

19. Less Food produced Locally Water Scarcity

20. Quality of life deterioration

27. Shared Responsibility

28. But imported food is often beyond financial affordability of the poor? WORLD WATER COUNCIL, 2009

29. Investments in $ trillions 2005 - 2030 Rogers, 2008

31. But we need to empower people through awareness, education and technological tools?

34. Concluding Note

35. THANK YOU for your attention