World Bank Recommends Better Red Sea Than Dead Sea

B. McPherson


The Dead Sea may be a memory by 2050
The World Bank has given its seal of approval to a scheme to transport Red Sea Water via pipeline to the Dead Sea. At a cost of approximately $10 billion, the scheme would theoretically save the dying Dead Sea from obliteration.

The Dead Sea is caught in the Great Rift Valley of Israel. It is formed in a depression 414 metres below sea level. The main source of water for this salty inland sea is the River Jordan. But in this very dry area of the Middle East, fresh water is at a premium and the countries of Syria, Israel and Jordan remove most of the water for drinking, industry and agriculture. Raw sewage makes up a large part of the river’s flow now. At the same time, the hot climate encourages evaporation, the result is the sea is drying up.

In Biblical times fish were caught in the lake, but due to the increasing salinity only small isopods can now live there. The Dead Sea is a prime tourist attraction for its unique properties.

The scheme, called the Red Sea – Dead Sea Water Conveyance Project would be a cooperative effort of Israel and Jordan to lay a pipeline about a hundred miles to the Red Sea where large amount of water would be pumped to the dying lake.

Friends of the Earth Middle East has something to say about the plan. That environmental group has pointed out numerous short comings in the environmental impact work. Social questions also are not addressed.

They conclude that until an unbiased study is conducted that looks at all aspects of what is proposed start on the pipeline is irresponsible and likely to end with massive damage to the Red Sea ecosystem.

Plans to commence development of a Red Sea - Dead Sea water conveyance before the potentially serious social and environmental impacts of such an action are understood, not only render the World Bank's study meaningless, but are also likely to cause untold environmental destruction. Friends of the Earth
Location: Dead Sea

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Abandoned Oil Pipelines What Lurks Below?

Image
These photos were taken July 2012 in the historic Turner Valley, Alberta B. McPherson Controversy over new oil pipelines is reaching boiling point in many circles. Heated debate is taking place over the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway and Keystone Pipeline proposals. Safety, disruption to landowners  and more are being weighed against the money to be made transporting and selling petroleum products. It got me thinking about the old pipelines. What happens to a pipeline when it is too old to use or not needed? It’s a bit of an Alice in Wonderland scene. The US laws and regulations are different from ours in Canada. The Pipeline and Gas Journal is a source of information about abandoned pipelines in Texas. Apparently a pipeline in Texas may be abandoned by a company, but it still retains ownership and may choose to reactivate the line at a later date. In the meantime, the right of way or easement is no longer maintained, but the through which the pipe extends is not ...
Read more

Prince Rupert Says No to Enbridge Pipeline

Image
B. McPherson Prince Rupert city council joined a growing list of BC coastal communities that are saying “No” to the Enbridge proposal to build a twinned pipeline from Edmonton to the coast. The decision of the Prince Rupert city politicians was unanimous. Already the village of Kitimaat, Terrace and the Skeena Queen Charlottes Regional District have voiced their opposition to the project. There are ongoing hearings by a federal court appointed Joint Review Panel which are gathering input from interested parties about the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline which would bring crude petroleum from the oil sands of Alberta to the coast of British Columbia. The proposal would see a twinned pipeline run over the Rocky Mountains and through wilderness to the treacherous west coast. The proposed terminus at Kitimat would require tankers to wend their way through the maze of islands and reefs to load up at the head of Douglas Channel. While the hearings and the finding...
Read more

Scientists Beginning to Sound Warnings About Atmospheric Nitrogen Compounds

Image
B. McPherson                                                 This short film explains very well the greenhouse effect on Earth. While the world is focussing on the production and release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, other gasses are quietly adding to the catastrophe. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and nitrous oxide is 300 times more efficient at keeping the Earth warmed. While much of the Earth’s atmosphere is made up of the element nitrogen, it is the nitrogen in reactive compounds that is starting to worry atmospheric scientists. The Green Revolution was made possible by the industrial production of chemical fertilizers. It, combined with antibiotics has allowed the Earth’s population of humans to swell from 1.6 billion at the beginning of the 20 th century to seven billion this year. Nitrogen is a key nutrient in plant growth. Unfor...
Read more