Category Archives: Sustainable Development

The Key Dimensions of Sustainable Development in the Arab World

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Sustainable development is a pattern of growth in which resource use aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come. Arab world is facing major sustainability challenges in achieving social, economic and environmental goals. Extremely arid climate, acute water scarcity, high energy consumption and polluting oil and gas industry present a unique challenge in Arab countries. There are four major dimensions of sustainable development – social, economic, environmental and institutional. Lets delve into the different dimensions of sustainable development in the Arab world. Social Dimension Availability of energy … Continue reading →

Pakistan’s Thirst for Water: Towards a National Sustainable Water Policy

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Being the world’s 6th most populous country, Pakistan is home to about 210 million people. The growing population reduces average water availability every day. In 2017, Asian Development Bank reported that the agriculture sector of Pakistan consumes 93% of the water resources and contributes 21% – one-fourth – to the Gross Domestic Product. Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources published a report titled “Water requirements of major crops in Central Punjab,” that has mentioned that over 60% of water is lost in transmission and applications. This implies that the agriculture sector that consumes 93% of water resources wastes two-third … Continue reading →

Water Diplomacy in the Middle East for Transboundary Water Supplies

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Increased pressure on transboundary water supplies as a result of rising economic and population needs, exacerbated by climate change processes, can have catastrophic consequences in the Middle East. Management of groundwater extraction from transboundary aquifers must involve sharing the amount of accessible water and preserving its quality in order to ensure that future generations will have access to safe groundwater supplies. The Middle East is afflicted by internal water mismanagement and conflicts. This necessitates not only the building of water governance institutions but also diverse engagement platforms and other water diplomacy techniques. The negotiations about water management create the need … Continue reading →

Water Stress in the Mediterranean: Perspectives

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For many years now, the Mediterranean has been facing problems leading to a situation of serious environmental degradation. An increase in the temperature and salinity levels has been recorded during the second half of the 20th century in the Mediterranean Sea. However, this increase does not follow progressive trend and periods of temperature alternation have been observed. Following several climate change scientific reports, sea level trend at the global scale is higher than at the regional scales. Furthermore, in the regional scale there are other influence factors such the atmospheric pressure and the wind. In addition, the small rises in temperature … Continue reading →

The Promise of Seawater Desalination in Algeria: Perspectives

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Algeria is one of the countries most exposed to water stress in the world. Classified as arid and semi-arid, it relies heavily on limited freshwater resources, with overexploited aquifers and dams often at critical levels during recurrent droughts. In response to this reality, the Algerian government has made seawater desalination a major strategic solution to secure potable water supply while alleviating pressure on natural freshwater resources. This approach goes beyond merely meeting human needs: it also potentially contributes to the preservation of terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems, in line with the objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in … Continue reading →

Impact of Urban Trees and Forests on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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The fight against climate change has placed urban trees and forests at the heart of mitigation and adaptation strategies, to the point that tree planting is often perceived as a simple, visible, and widely accepted solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In many countries, urban greening programs are expanding, with tree-lined streets, boulevards, and public spaces, while large-scale reforestation and forest restoration initiatives are prominently featured in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This situation raises a central question: does planting trees along streets genuinely contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, or … Continue reading →

Sustainability and Energy Efficiency: Key to Affordable Housing

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To be affordable, houses must be designed and built embracing strong principles of sustainability. Ensuring houses are energy-efficient may increase upfront construction costs a bit, including the costs of superior tools and equipment and professional architectural and mechanical engineers services, but the long-term benefits and future cost-efficiency are what matters. Non-believers think that it is an oxymoron to combine the idea of sustainability and affordability. But, the fact is that when homeowners are able to spend less on their energy bills they can budget better for repairs and maintenance, which intrinsically improves the durability and longevity of their houses. In … Continue reading →

Climate Justice and Environmental Justice – Two Concepts for One Challenge

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Science keeps showing that as the effects of climate change get worse, extreme weather events are hurting developing countries a lot. This is especially true in Africa and Asia. Over half of Africa’s people would be at risk of not getting enough food if global warming reached 2°C. As it is, we have already reached about 1°C above pre-industrial levels (1850–1900). If things keep going the way they are, global warming is likely to reach 1.5°C between 2030 and 2052. From 1990 to 2015, the poorest half of the world, which is the most vulnerable to the effects of climate … Continue reading →

Water Security and Transboundary Conflicts: Geopolitical Challenges and Sustainable Water Governance

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Water security has become a central determinant of geopolitical stability and sustainable development, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Increasing water demand, combined with climate change and fragmented governance of shared water resources, is intensifying tensions between states. This article analyzes transboundary water conflicts through several emblematic cases and highlights the critical role of cooperative governance, with a particular focus on the North Western Sahara Aquifer System (NWSAS). This study emphasizes that scientific transparency, institutional coordination, and regional cooperation are key to preventing water-related conflicts and ensuring long-term water security. Water as a Strategic Security Issue Water is no longer … Continue reading →

النظام الإداري البيئي

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يُعَدّ التلوّث البيئي العالمي الراهن إلى حدٍّ كبير نتيجةً مباشرة لعمليات التصنيع المتسارعة التي منحت الأولوية، عبر عقود طويلة، للنمو الاقتصادي وتعظيم الأرباح على حساب الاستدامة البيئية. فقد أسهم التطور الصناعي في إطلاق كميات ضخمة من الملوِّثات في الهواء والمياه، وفي تلويث التربة والنظم البيئية، إضافةً إلى تسارع استنزاف الموارد الطبيعية. ومع تزايد وضوح هذه التحديات البيئية وتعقّدها، برزت الحاجة إلى أدوات منهجية تمكّن المؤسسات من إدارة آثارها البيئية والحدّ منها بصورة فعّالة. وفي هذا السياق تطوّرت أنظمة الإدارة البيئية لتصبح أدوات أساسية تسعى من خلالها المنظمات إلى تحسين أدائها البيئي على نحوٍ منهجي وقابل للقياس ومستدام على المدى الطويل. … Continue reading →

مستجمعات المياه الصحية أولوية حرجة لدفع التنمية المستدامة

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تُعرّف مستجمعات المياه أو مساقط المياه (Watershed) بأنها مساحة من الأرض تُصرّف المياه الناشئة عن هطول الأمطار وانصهار الثلوج وتوجه تدفقها لتصب باتجاه الجداول والأنهار، وفي النهاية إلى نقاط التدفق (Outflow points) التي تصب في مستودعات المياه الأكبر حجما مثل الخلجان والمحيطات. ولكل جسم مائي مستجمع مياه أو أكثر. وتسمى أيضًا أحواض الأنهار أو أحواض التصريف (Drainage Basin). كما تُسمّى مصائد المياه (Catchment)، لأن الأرض الصاعدة والمرتفعة (Upstream) تصطاد المياه ومن ثم تجري إلى أسفل التل (Downstream) في اتجاه مجرى النهر أو الجدول القريب. تتكون المستجمعات المائية من وديان منحدرة تحيط بها قمم وتلال مرتفعة. ويتم تحديد حدود مستجمعات المياه … Continue reading →

Water and Gender: A Strategic Lever for Sustainable Water Security

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World Water Day, celebrated every year on 22 March under the auspices of the United Nations, provides a unique opportunity to draw international attention to the vital importance of freshwater and to the persistent challenges related to its access, management, and sustainability. Since its inception, this observance has highlighted an annual theme addressing emerging priorities and structural challenges in the global water sector. In 2026, the chosen theme, “Water and Gender,” explicitly recognizes the close link between water management, sanitation, and gender inequalities, underscoring that the global water crisis is also a social, economic, and human crisis [1]. Although water … Continue reading →