The Middle East and North Africa, the most water scarce region in the world, is facing simultaneous climate, governance, and social challenges that the region's leaders and citizens can no longer ignore.
The Middle East and North Africa have been hit by food, energy, and debt crises that have exacerbated structural economic weaknesses of low- and middle-incomes countries, particularly Egypt, Tunisia, and Lebanon.
While Egypt has made notable improvements in certain environmental sectors, it also remains one of the region’s worst polluters. To discuss what is being done to tackle Egypt’s environmental challenges in a sample of sectors, the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center is organizing an event on January 11, at 4:00 PM Beirut Time with Nadine Wahab, and Yasmine Hussein.
The food, energy, and debt crises in the Middle East and North Africa have exacerbated structural economic weaknesses of low- and middle-income countries—particularly Egypt, Tunisia, and Lebanon—creating mounting pressure on domestic political orders and worsening these countries’ geopolitical marginalization.
Brussels is overlooking Egypt’s lack of democratic reforms to secure Cairo’s cooperation in other fields. This short-sighted approach is emboldening the regime and hurting Egyptian civil society.
Another truce may not be imminent, but some short- and long-term effects—and the players who helped push them forward—are noteworthy.
Egypt finds itself at a critical environmental juncture, with climate change posing grave risks to its economy, sovereignty, and stability. A business-as-usual approach or maladaptation could have major adverse consequences.
