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The GEO-6 West Asia Regional Assessment is guided by seven regional priorities: water, land, marine resources, biodiversity, air, climate change and waste management. These were identified by member States and stakeholders at the Regional Environmental Information Network (REIN) Conference held in Amman, 10-14 May 2015. Along with the identified regional priorities, 2 themes governed the West Asia assessment report; Peace, Security and Environment, along with the Food, Water and Energy nexus.
State of the Environment
Following trends highlighted in previous editions of the GEO report series, the current analysis of drivers, pressures, state, impact and responses of the West Asia environment, shows that a holistic and integrated approach is needed to identify challenges related to the environment and address the two themes. Several regional environmental challenges that are continuing include:
- Despite some efforts on integrated water resource management and the short lived solutions applied for managing increasing water demand, deteriorating water quality, in addition to persistent overexploitation of groundwater resources;
- Shared water resources continue to be a source of major regional concern due to lack of regional cooperation;
- Unsustainable consumption patterns threaten water, energy and food security;
- Biodiversity loss, desertification and ecosystem degradation are ongoing challenges;
- Air pollution continues to greatly impact human health and the environment;
- Waste management continues to be addressed through ad-hoc initiatives without an integrated waste management outlook;
- Energy efficiency and energy mix continue to be a priority; and
- The environment continues to be threatened by and a cause for lack of peace and security and increasing levels of conflicts.
Policy Response
The assessment report offers a visionary outlook scenario over the next 25 years, 10 years after achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Adopting this positive vision, several outcomes can be achieved including; healthy people, clean water and good hygiene, green energy, responsible consumption and production, climate change impacts addressed, protected marine life and conserved land resources, regional cooperation ensuring peace, justice and security for all.
Outlook
The assessment report offers a visionary outlook scenario over the next 25 years, 10 years after achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Adopting this positive vision, several outcomes can be achieved including; healthy people, clean water and good hygiene, green energy, responsible consumption and production, climate change impacts addressed, protected marine life and conserved land resources, regional cooperation ensuring peace, justice and security for all.
