Middle East and Sustainable Development
Start Date
10-8-2010 3:30 PM
End Date
10-8-2010 5:00 PM
Description
The World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) describe sustainable development as "... a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are made consistent with the future as well as present needs". Sustainable Development is important in the Middle East because it will help the people of the region to live peacefully and plan for their future. The Middle East has different natural resources but the use of these resources is facing a lot of challenging and constrains hinder the sustainable development in the region include:
1. High political instability in the region that has created an unfavorable development environment, especially Wars (first and second Gulf wars and Israel and Lebanon war 2006, and the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.
2. Limited and inproper management's natural, financial and human resources available.
3. Poor bureaucratic and institutional performance by those responsible to promote sustainable development.
4. Lack of political well by decision makers to implement sustainable development policies.
The most important themes of sustainable development in the Middle East are but not limited to the following points:
• Water: The Middle East region has only 1% of the world’s available fresh water, which is shared among 5% of the world’s population. Water is a limiting factor for agricultural, industrial, and urban development in the region. The quantity and quality of water will constrain development plans for future expansion in many countries. Powerful political, economic, and social needs can lead to competition for this limited resource.
• The Middle East has long been known as the petrol capital of the world, but it soon could become better known for its renewable energy assets.
• Poverty in the Middle East is a major issue. Poverty is concentrated mainly in two major areas: the Palestinian refugee camps and rural areas.
• High population growth rate is a very important issue that is related directly to natural resources depletion, poverty and sustainability.
• Unemployment, which is –verily - one of the most serious problems that confront the Middle-East countries. The unemployment rate reached about 27% among young people in the Arab world, and more than 50% among Arab women.
Middle East and Sustainable Development
The World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) describe sustainable development as "... a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are made consistent with the future as well as present needs". Sustainable Development is important in the Middle East because it will help the people of the region to live peacefully and plan for their future. The Middle East has different natural resources but the use of these resources is facing a lot of challenging and constrains hinder the sustainable development in the region include:
1. High political instability in the region that has created an unfavorable development environment, especially Wars (first and second Gulf wars and Israel and Lebanon war 2006, and the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.
2. Limited and inproper management's natural, financial and human resources available.
3. Poor bureaucratic and institutional performance by those responsible to promote sustainable development.
4. Lack of political well by decision makers to implement sustainable development policies.
The most important themes of sustainable development in the Middle East are but not limited to the following points:
• Water: The Middle East region has only 1% of the world’s available fresh water, which is shared among 5% of the world’s population. Water is a limiting factor for agricultural, industrial, and urban development in the region. The quantity and quality of water will constrain development plans for future expansion in many countries. Powerful political, economic, and social needs can lead to competition for this limited resource.
• The Middle East has long been known as the petrol capital of the world, but it soon could become better known for its renewable energy assets.
• Poverty in the Middle East is a major issue. Poverty is concentrated mainly in two major areas: the Palestinian refugee camps and rural areas.
• High population growth rate is a very important issue that is related directly to natural resources depletion, poverty and sustainability.
• Unemployment, which is –verily - one of the most serious problems that confront the Middle-East countries. The unemployment rate reached about 27% among young people in the Arab world, and more than 50% among Arab women.