Executive summary:
Water scarcity is one of the most discussed topic globally especially in the Gcc countries where water has become scarce causing a lot to these countries. Scientists and researchers are continuing looking for solutions where they argue that replacement of the current resources is an important strategy and policy making for soil making and water is highly needed. In the worst scenario, the Arabian Gulf and the Middle East countries are expected to fall under physical water scarcity by 2025.
3, Scope
4. Method
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
Introduction:
Gcc countries are at among the quickest rates in the world to exhaust water supplies, research showing Kuwait leading the rate of depletion followed by UAE. The most vulnerable regions to climate change, desertification and salinization are the Middle East. The magnitude of water shortage in these countries is very high and requires strong cooperation among development programs and national research, donors and private sectors. Water shortage anticipated in Gcc countries which results to drought and poverty with decrease in annual rainfall of 10.5 per cent and temperature expected to increase by up to 2.5”c in recent years to come in these countries which is scientifically proven and also very alarming.
Purpose:
Local population continue to rapidly increase and soaring of economic development experienced in Gcc countries, and notable that the government is pouring even more capital into agricultural sector subsidize while at the same time solely relying on hydrocarbon exports in investing revenues in hundreds of desalinization plants and the regions growing water crisis be aggravated by household desalinization programs. Leaders of these countries are in terms with the fact that there are water shortages, as one leader warned that member state had to take serious and rapid step Gulf strategy for water and a long comprehensive one during the closing of the Annual Summit of the Supreme Council of the GCC. This agenda of water crisis was put at the forefront for the first time, emphasizing the need to take immediate action. Government in these countries must solve important questions regarding water conservation agriculture and security to ensure not following shortsighted water policies in the end as Gcc countries continues to rely on gas revenues and vast oil to stave off the water crisis in the short-term.
Scope and Method:
These GCC countries, which include Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia, are among the most arid in the world where the region is without lakes and rivers and low rainfall. Water extraction is more way beyond the available where only groundwater is the source natural water supply. This extracted water in GCC countries mostly used for agricultural purposes. Due to lack of water, food security is in a dire situation causing significant subsidies to the agricultural sector by the government, which has turned to be unsuccessful resulting to even groundwater sources depletion.
Discussion:
The government must tackle the problem of water wastages in GCC countries as a survey showed that individual spending of water is double that of an individual in the United States. This is because; the degree of wastefulness is environmentally dangerous and costly. The government of these countries should hence create awareness in ways such as introducing measures for conservation such as dual flush toilets. Introduction of water meters or tariffs for exceeding a certain rate in households should be introduced by the government, as ways of curbing wastage of water and water shortages in GCC counties.
There is a forecast by the experts to increase the desalinization capacity by 90% and above before 2019 in Gcc, countries as demand for water continue to surge and population is growing first. Water security is assured by such high dependence on desalinization ads in these countries fighting crisis of water shortages. A significant potential threat to the national security of GCC states is being recognized by some in the region due to failure of water desalinization plants, whether from environmental disruptions or from political disability. The government has responded claiming it will construct an underground artificial water reserve to be used in cases of emergency, that is a man-made aquifer storing desalinated water deep underground in an environmentally sound and economical manner.
Desalinization thus is helping curb water shortages in these countries as a study showed that this process provides more than two-thirds of the potable water used in countries like Qatar, Kuwait UAE and in the GCC’s water development projects, will continue to play a major role. Nevertheless, desalination carries massive environmental and economic costs as 1dollar a cubic metre of seawater cost to desalinate, despite a more than fivefold improvement in efficiency since 1979.
Seawater desalination, consumes eight times more energy than groundwater projects since it is an energy-intensive process, and 10% and 30% of the energy consumption in the Gcc being accounted form. These results toads on problems of energy intensity, which is already, experienced in these GCC countries. This information reveals that the government should concentrate on the projects such as groundwater projects that have less negative effects.
GCC commissioned a study that recommends a common water network linking all GCC countries to prevent future water shortages established. A separate model for emergencies and a network model for regular demand are also proposed. One of the two centers for desalination will produce to meet the need while a supply equivalent to each country’s need, guaranteed by the second desalination. Water in times of acute shortage will be supplied directly to the regions in need by the common water network. There are also strategies to embrace new technology in the treatment and production of water, water resources enhancement, reduce water loss, installing of water saving devices across all networks to the end user from desalination plants and prevent water pollution.
Contracts worth millions of dollars continue signed by the various water ministers of these GCC countries, to implement sewage and water projects in various parts of the countries. These ways find solutions to water shortages and helps these countries to grow as water is life to all existing beings.
Conclusion:
A board strategy for addressing water security, which should not rely merely on energy export revenues to finance short-term solutions, is what GCC countries need. Demand for desalinated water reduced by introducing needed projects, municipal use great presents opportunities and investment in water recycling for irrigation. A proficient strategy to challenge water security from both the demand and supply side is necessary so as the economy that has demarcated this region in the preceding decades continues for years to come. The strategies results to curbing water shortages in GCC countries and should be applied to other countries facing cases of water shortages.
Work Cited
Annual Review of Developments in Globalization and Regional Integration in the Arab Countries 2006. New York: United Nations, 2007. Print.
Friis, Robert H. Essentials of Environmental Health. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2012. Print.
