Water management challenges and solutions in the Mediterranean

Water is both a challenge and a solution in the Mediterranean region. Climate change is impacting the region with increased and more severe droughts and reduced rainfall. At the same time, sea level rise is threatening the region, putting one third of its population at risk. In this first issue of The Tideline - a newsletter curated by AMWAJ - ????? -, we share our top six water articles. Enjoy the reading!

Water management in Cyprus: an ongoing struggle

Cyprus lies at the crossroads of three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa. The island has a mix of cultures and civilizations which form the foundation of the Mediterranean essence. It is also classified as water poor and suffers from a shared regional challenge: scarce water resources. REVOLVE travelled to Cyprus to understand the human dimension of the challenges on the island. Read the article written by Martina Valls Carafi to learn more!

Does Lebanon really need dams?

The water dam dossier in Lebanon has been one of the most controversial issues in the last ten years. While some advocate for their construction, others describe them as one of the biggest failures in the country. Were these dams really a failure, or were the campaigns filed under the context of political inducements in Lebanon? Mounir Kabalan talks about it in this article originally published at Raseef22 ??????22.

Alexandria: layers of history, levels of threat

A cultural hub for thousands of years, Alexandria is in a geologic risk zone and is increasingly subjected to earthquakes and extreme weather events. With the new wave of large real estate ventures, researchers warn that the government should learn from the city’s past to prepare for its future. Learn more about the impacts of climate change and the adaptation measures in this article by Rehab Abd Almohsen, originally published in Unbias The News as part of the Sinking Cities Project.

Why were there no flamingos in Cabo de Gata last summer?

"Flamingos splashing pink on the landscape of Cabo de Gata salt flats in Almería, Spain, are one of the iconic images of the region. I used to go to watch them every year, in a unique area between the sea and the desert. Last summer they were gone, the salt flats were dried out. Without food and water, flamingos and other birds had to migrate to other wetlands." Belén Gutiérrez Carmona explains the visible effects of the intense heat wave which affected the Mediterranean region last summer. 

Lampedusa: the forsaken island

Unlike Malta that still has some (rapidly depleting) groundwater aquifer reserves, Lampedusa has no freshwater resources. Without any freshwater resources, Lampedusa needs renewables for sustainable water access. Read Stuart Reigeluth's article which explores energy-efficient technologies that are implemented in Lampedusa for treating wastewater!

Stepping up climate action in the Mediterranean

Alessandra Sensi, head of the environment, green and blue economy sector at the Union for the Mediterranean, spoke with Ahmed Kotb about the complex challenges faced in the Mediterranean region as a result of climate change, #pollution and economic hardship. Find out more in this article written by Sensi and originally published in Al-Ahram!

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