Jordan: Experts review water resource management

Jordan suffers from acute water shortage brought about by climate change, which is causing a drop in rainfall and a rise in temperatures, coupled with man-made factors, a senior water official said last June 21st.

Ministry of Water and Irrigation Secretary General Maysoun Zu'bi said a majority of Arab countries suffer from limited water resources, highlighting that Jordan is categorised among the four most water-deprived countries in the world.

Zu'bi made the remarks during a workshop organised by UNESCO on the International Hydrological Programme's (IHP) research activities in Jordan, where she underscored the importance of efficient and balanced water management.

UNESCO established the IHP in 1975 as an intergovernmental programme for the scientific study of the hydrological cycle and for formulating strategies and policies for the sustainable management of water resources.

Under the programme, two UNESCO-funded research projects were carried out: A groundwater recharge evaluation in Wadi Feifa to the south of the Jordan Valley in 2007 and another on the management of wastewater in rural areas in Jordan in 2009.

Meanwhile, UNESCO Representative in Jordan Anna Paolini underscored that the agency is working to integrate climate change issues into the national curricula and learning programmes in order to encourage more sustainable patterns of living and limit the impact of climate change.