Friedman and the Other Arab Spring

Tom Friedman recently wrote a column that addressed the important issue regarding the linkage between how climate and water problems have helped stir conflict and tension in Syria (The New York Times, April 8, 2012, The Other Arab Spring).

Friedman stated:

"All these tensions over land, water and food are telling us something: The Arab awakening was driven not only by political and economic stresses, but, less visibly, by environmental, population and climate stresses as well. If we focus only on the former and not the latter, we will never be able to help stabilize these societies." 

Other key points Friedman made in the article included:

• From 2006 to 2011, up to 60% of Syria's land experienced one of the worst droughts and most severe set of crop failures in its history.
• In the northeast governorate of Hassakeh, nearly 75% suffered total crop failure.
• Herders in the northeast lost 85% of their livestock, affecting 1.3 million people.
• 800,000 Syrians had their livelihoods wiped out by the droughts - - forcing them to move to cities to find work.
• Droughts in the wintertime in the Middle East are increasing and human caused climate change is partly responsible (the Middle East gets most of their rain during the winter).
• By 2030, the population of the Middle East will increase by 132%.
• 12 of the world's 15 most water-scarce countries - - Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Jordon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Israel, and Palestine.

Engineering will be tasked to design and construct climate-adaptive infrastructure and improvements in water management.  The goal is clear - - to make the region more resilient in an age of disruptive climate change.  We collectively must be willing to make the investment.