New book on Water Resources in the Middle East discusses climate change impacts in the past and future

A new major book has been published by: Hillel Shuval, Israel; Hassan Dweik, Palestine (Eds.): Water Resources in the Middle East: Israel-Palestinian Water Issues – from Conflict to Cooperation (Berlin – Heidelberg – New York: Springer-Verlag, 2007).

Professor HILLEL SHUVAL is Director of the Depart­ment of Environmental Health Scien­ces at the Ha­dassah Academic College-Jerusalem and Professor Emeritus, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. He served as initiator and co-chairman of the First and Second Israeli-Palestinian International Conferences on Water held in Zurich in 1992 and in Antalya, Turkey 2004.

Professor HASSAN DWEIK is a Professor of Polymer and Industrial Chemistry at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, he served as the co-Chairman of the Second Israeli-Palestinian International Conference on water in An­­­talya in 2004. He is Executive Vice President at Al-Quds University. He publi­shed many articles on environmental issues in Palestine, in particular on water pollution and solid waste management

In Water Resources in the Middle East: Israel-Palestinian Water Issues - From Conflict to Cooperation leading Palestinian, Israeli and international water experts document the importance of mutual understanding, respect and amity among peoples during a difficult period of stress. This book demonstrates hope, optimism and the belief that people with good will can help contribute to peace and mutual cooperation in solving shared water problems essential for their mutual survival and welfare. The present water crisis facing the Middle East will become even more severe over the next twenty years, unless dealt with energetically and in good time. This situation requires urgent action by the countries of the region, the international community and civil society generally.

This book provides valuable source material for water scientists, engineers, political scientists, specialists in conflict resolution, environmentalists, economists, lawyers, administrators, managers and policy makers interested in understanding, developing, managing and pro­tecting the scarce shared water resources of the Middle East and for the promotion of "Water for Life" for the benefit of all the nations of the region.

The book has three chapters on the impact of climate change in the Middle East by:
-        Hans Günter Brauch (Free University of Berlin, Germany): Impacts of Global Environmental Change for Water Resources of Israel and its Neighbors: New Security Dangers and Shifting Perceptions: pp. 357-378;
-        Arie S. Issar (Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel): Mitigating Negative Impacts of Global War­ming on Water Resources of the Middle East: pp. 379-386.
-        Ziad al-Saad (Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan); Bernhard Lucke and Michael Schmidt (University of Technology Cottbus) and Rupert Bäumler (Friedrich- Ale­xander University Erlangen-Nürnberg): The Past as a Key for the Future: Mutual Dependencies of Land Use, Soil Development, Climate and Settlement: pp.387-396.

Announcement.