Key Habitats
Nile Delta
Where the Nile meets the Mediterranean, the Delta contains 40% of Egypt's human population and a majority of its agriculture. Upstream damming has halted natural regeneration of alluvial soils, a loss which combined with aquifer depletion and shale drilling for natural gas are causing the delta to sink into the sea.
Mesopotamian Marshes
Spanning the border of Iraq and Iran at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Mesopotamian wetlands are historically believed to be the site of the "Garden of Eden." The wetlands nourished great biodiversity and civilization in antiquity, but have since been depleted by upstream dams and intentional drainage. Migratory bird habitats and indigenous ways of life here are threatened.
Persian/Arabian Gulf
High temperatures and salinity make the Gulf a "naturally stressed" ecosystem, which is nonetheless home to major fisheries and reef ecosystems. Off-shore petroleum drilling contributes major pollution to the water, including massive oil spills during the Iran-Iraq and Gulf Wars. Rapid urban development on the Gulf coast now threatens coastal mangrove ecosystems critical to marine life.
Red Sea
The Red Sea contains some of the warmest, saltiest water in the world and is home to over 2,000km of coastal reefs. The corals of the Red Sea are of great scientific interest due to their tolerance of the naturally-high water temperatures. However, desalination wastes produced by coastal settlements put stress on the corals, which already live at the limits of habitable salinity.
North Saharan Steppe
Extending across Northern Africa, the Saharan steppe forms an ecotone between the Mediterranean and Saharan ecoregions. Being wetter and cooler than the absolute desert to the south, it has historically rich biodiversity. Centuries of hunting pressure have extirpated key species such as wild boar and ostrich, endangering many others. Declining biodiversity is tied to increasing desiccation.
Most Pressing Issues
Water scarcity
The MENA has the greatest water scarcity in the world. Major river systems (Nile, Tigris & Euphrates ) are heavily dammed, disturbing vital delta wetlands in Egypt and Iraq that were once "cradles of civilization." These water systems are shared between multiple countries, contributing to political tension and impeding regional conservation efforts.
Air & Marine Pollution
Natural air pollutants of dust and sand are compounded by high fossil fuel emissions and industrial wastes, contributing to air pollution levels that far exceed WHO recommended levels in most MENA countries, corresponding to increased incidences of respiratory diseases and non-smoking related lung cancers. Marine environments are threatened by largely unregulated urbanization, agricultural runoff, and fossil fuels.
Climate Change
Given the already-high temperatures and humidity characteristic of the region, projected temperature increases could make parts of the MENA uninhabitable. Nearly all major cities are low-lying coastal zones or river deltas, foreshadowing massive human displacement and political destabilization accompanying projected sea level rise. Salination and flooding already threaten agriculture in Egypt's Nile River delta.
Desertification
Only about 5% of land in the MENA is arable without irrigation, making the region vulnerable to food shortages and fires. Desertification has been ongoing for several millennia and is exacerbated by uncontrolled grazing and aquifer depletion. Industrialization and colonialism have caused the gradual loss of traditional practices of water management and agriculture which have always been required to live sustainably in these arid and semi-arid regions.
