A Case Study on Jordan: Water Shortages, Strategies and Alternative Solutions: a Political Perspective

One of the most arid countries in the world, Jordan faces the serious challenge of water scarcity. Like the rest of the Middle East, land-locked Jordan is suffering from multiple-year drought. While the World Bank cites climate change and population growth as the main reasons for a predicted halving of water available by 2050 in the Arid Middle East, the political climate makes things worse for Jordan, complicating potential solutions. Jordan shares most of its surface water with its neighbours, whose building of dams upstream on major rivers partially deprives Jordan of its share. With current use exceeding renewable supply, Jordan’s water deficit is covered by overdrawing aquifers - expected to run dry within 20 years. The gap between water supply and demand threatens to widen - on current trends per capita water will decline from 145 cm/year to 91cm/year by 2025 – far below the international water poverty level of 500 cm/year.