Water Resources in Jordan Evolving Policies for Development, the Environment, And Conflict Resolution

This is the first comprehensive, multi-disciplinary book to address water policy in Jordan. Edited by the former Minister of Water and Irrigation of Jordan, with contributions by other prominent Jordanian and international water professionals, this volume covers such areas as the population-water resources equation in Jordan; institutional and legal frameworks; the data systems used for the assessment and formulation of water policy, water allocations and uses in municipal, industrial, and agricultural sectors; social and environmental issues; and water conflict with Jordan's neighbors. The book is a must for readers interested in Middle East politics and the critical nature of water issues in the region. The book notes the importance of interaction with the outside world to augment water resources through trade, making the experience of Jordan relevant to other developing regions where water is scarce. It introduces the term "shadow water" to mean the scarce indigenous water resources that the import of agricultural and industrial commodities saves or replaces. It quantifies, for the first time, the shadow water and its financial cost. It lists the benefits drawbacks of shadow water, and defines its role in balancing the population-water resources equation. The book shows how financially profitable it can be to treat water as a tradable commodity, to be exchanged peaceably across international borders. Haddadin and his distinguished contributors bring the water conflicts between Jordan and its neighbors, Israel and Syria, into sharp focus. The resolution of each conflict is analyzed, and recommendations for implementation of the agreements are made. The book includes a historicalperspective on the development of water policies in Jordan, and explores the significance of water in the religious, social, and political life of the country.Haddadin, Munther J. is the author of 'Water Resources in Jordan Evolving Policies for Development, the Environment, And Conflict Resolution' with ISBN 9781933115320 and ISBN 1933115327.