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Climate change, water resources, and the politics of adaptation in the Middle East and North Africa

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Date
2011-02-01
Authors
Sowers, J
Vengosh, A
Weinthal, E
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Abstract
Through an examination of global climate change models combined with hydrological data on deteriorating water quality in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), we elucidate the ways in which the MENA countries are vulnerable to climate-induced impacts on water resources. Adaptive governance strategies, however, remain a low priority for political leaderships in the MENA region. To date, most MENA governments have concentrated the bulk of their resources on large-scale supply side projects such as desalination, dam construction, inter-basin water transfers, tapping fossil groundwater aquifers, and importing virtual water. Because managing water demand, improving the efficiency of water use, and promoting conservation will be key ingredients in responding to climate-induced impacts on the water sector, we analyze the political, economic, and institutional drivers that have shaped governance responses. While the scholarly literature emphasizes the importance of social capital to adaptive governance, we find that many political leaders and water experts in the MENA rarely engage societal actors in considering water risks. We conclude that the key capacities for adaptive governance to water scarcity in MENA are underdeveloped. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
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Journal article
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/6460
Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1007/s10584-010-9835-4
Publication Info
Sowers, J; Vengosh, A; & Weinthal, E (2011). Climate change, water resources, and the politics of adaptation in the Middle East and North Africa. Climatic Change, 104(3-4). pp. 599-627. 10.1007/s10584-010-9835-4. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/6460.
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Scholars@Duke

Vengosh

Avner Vengosh

Nicholas Distinguished Professor of Environmental Quality
Avner Vengosh is a Duke University Distinguished Professor of Environmental Quality at the Nicholas School of the Environment.  Professor Vengosh and his team have studied the energy-water nexus, conducting pioneer research on the impact of hydraulic fracturing and coal ash disposal on the quantity and quality of water resources in the U.S. and China. He has also investigated the sources and mechanisms of water contamination in numerous countries across the globe, including salinity and
Weinthal

Erika S. Weinthal

Professor of Environmental Policy and Public Policy
Dr. Weinthal specializes in global environmental politics and environmental security with a particular emphasis on water and energy. Current areas of research include (1) global environmental politics and governance, (2) environmental conflict and peacebuilding, (3) the political economy of the resource curse, and (4) climate change adaptation. Dr. Weinthal’s research spans multiple geographic regions, including the Soviet successor states, the Middle East, South Asia, East Africa, and
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