Middle East Focus The Middle East's Water and Climate Crisis: Lessons from Iran, Iraq, and the Gulf
Aug 14, 2025
Karim Elgendy, a climate, energy, and sustainability expert, discusses the Middle East's pressing water and climate crisis. He highlights Iran's looming water shortages and Iraq's power grid failures, linking these issues to climate change and resource mismanagement. The conversation sheds light on the Gulf's dependence on desalination and ongoing efforts for sustainable water management. Elgendy also explores potential for regional cooperation and technological solutions amid political challenges, emphasizing the urgent need for effective resource strategies.
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Climate Drives Regional Water Decline
- The MENA region is inherently water-stressed with renewable water availability about one-sixth of the global average.
- Climate change reduces precipitation in the Levant and North Africa, increases evaporation, and raises rainfall variability leading to longer droughts.
Water Shortages Amplify Social Risk
- Reduced water availability cascades into food insecurity, higher imports, and inflation that can spark social unrest.
- Karim Elgendy links water stress directly to unemployment, GDP hits, and protest risk in countries like Iran and Iraq.
Iran's Subsidies and Self-Sufficiency Trap
- Iran heavily subsidizes water and uses about 90% of its water for agriculture, driving unsustainable groundwater extraction.
- Short-term shutdowns and subsidies haven't fixed over-extraction or self-sufficiency policies worsened by sanctions.