Middle East is forever in news for its never ending conflicts and strife. Countries in Middle East are so much locked up in political crises that they are neglecting environment and other important factors related to well being of the people. It is indeed unfortunate that even the Dead Sea known for its dense mineral and salt content is shrinking and dying. The sea locked between Jordan, Israel and West Bank has been a major tourist attraction for decades due to the healing powers of its minerals. But now with water levels falling sharply almost a metre per year, the shoreline has already receded by a km and dangerous sink holes are opening up beneath the nearby lands.

There are plans of making a pipeline from Red Sea to take water to Dead Sea but UN is still studying the environmental impact of the ambitious project. Such simplistic solution of channeling rising sea waters due to climate change into dying sea beds and rivers can be disastrous. Red sea and Dead Sea are two different seas with different water density and salinity. It would change the very characteristics of the sea.

River Jordon is the main river flowing into the Dead Sea but its water is diverted, heavily drawn by Israel, Jordan and Syria. Almost 90 percent of water gets used up for agriculture and industry. Jordan may go ahead with the pipeline project from Red Sea for it also involves water and electricity supply projects. There will be water in Dead Sea but it won’t be the same sea. It is very unfortunate indeed that Middle East is ignoring such pertinent issues and fighting over land.

Via Telegraph