Drought and scarcity of water, a crisis that is still not taken seriously/experts warn; Combating drought, sustainable development and its management

According to the reporter of Moj social news agency, Bahran dehydration It is among the environmental threats that affect different countries on the planet. One of the regions sensitive to the problem of water scarcity is the Middle East and North Africa region, where our country is also located. Although throughout history, access to water resources has caused internal and international conflicts and their escalation, but in recent decades, population growth and global warming have played an important role in increasing the demand for water resources. As some experts have warned, the Middle East is facing the problem of subsidence because in most of the countries in the region, the underground water reserves have either been exhausted or are running out. Surveys show that the Middle East is not only facing a serious problem in the field of water supply, but it will soon be empty of underground water, and this problem has been one of the main reasons for the occurrence of numerous subsidence in some countries of this region.

The phenomenon of land subsidence due to excessive extraction of underground water

One of the negative consequences of the excessive extraction of underground water is the phenomenon of land subsidence, and in the areas where the amount of extraction from the underground water table is more than the amount of incoming water due to rainfall, the level of the underground water continues to drop and goes lower every year and sinkholes are created. Experts believe that with rivers drying up and rainfall decreasing, water stored underground in the Middle East is more than ever affected by climate change. This is while groundwater management is complicated and no one even really knows how much water is underground.

Groundwater or fresh water stored underground and mainly accessible through wells, has always played an important role in the dry countries of the Middle East. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia or ESCWA stated in a report in 2020 that since this water is underground, it is affected by Drought And it’s not heat, and it’s the main source of fresh water for at least 10 Arab countries, but climate change affects the low rainfall in these countries, and very hot summers dry up more rivers and lakes, groundwater becomes more important.

What do the reports say?

According to media reports, underground water is the main factor for wheat harvest in Iraq, and this country is considered one of the most dangerous countries affected by climate change and drought in the world. As climate change affects these countries’ low rainfall and extremely hot summers dry up more rivers and lakes, groundwater becomes more important. Also, in the report of these media, it is stated that Saudi Arabia is one of the other countries in this region, which, due to its location in a hot and dry region and the need for water, has taken advantage of the underground water, and the problems have been aggravated by taking a lot of deep water.

Like oil in the ground, it is a disposable resource, experts say. These groundwater resources are found at great depths and are hardly or not at all renewable, but in recent decades, these aquifers have been increasingly exploited. Therefore, it should be said that Iran is located in the Middle East region and this crisis will have its effects on the country as well.

Read more:

A drought that will continue

When imprudences fuel the drought crisis

The appearance of signs of an unprecedented drought in Iran / Iran is in the fourth rank of countries close to the “last day” in terms of water

Drought is lurking in which provinces?/ Improper management of water resources; A crisis that threatens the country

Mismanagement is the main cause of the drought crisis/selling water is like garbage in the hands of the mafia

Drought crisis affects 17 countries of the world / Iran is on the drought list of 2040

Take advantage of the trade of water-scarce countries

At first glance, the comparison of Iran with the countries of the region may not seem correct, but it can be said that the occurrence of this in our country is not far from expected. According to media reports and according to the head of the National Center for Climate and Drought Crisis Management, “Ahad Tazifi”, the continuation of global warming and drought has reduced the precipitation and the durability of snow, and now there is almost no snow left in the highlands of the country. In Tehran, in the past, the snow was at an altitude of 2,000 meters, but now the snow line is 500 to 1,000 meters higher.

Although our country is located in more northern latitudes compared to some countries in the region and has high Zagros mountain ranges with northwest to southeast direction and located in the path of west rain-bearing winds, Alborz highlands in the north of the country, northwest and northeast highlands. Also, the southeast location of the country has exposed it to the cold currents of the Indian Ocean and the monsoon rains of this ocean, and for this reason we see numerous large and small rivers everywhere in the country, but the problem of water scarcity at the surface and deep in the ground is still a challenge for the country. It is very important and serious.

It should be accepted that not only Iran, but the entire Middle East is facing the problem of water scarcity at the surface and depth of the earth, and we should learn from the experiences of other countries in the region in this regard. This warning is very serious, and perhaps action should be taken today to save the plains and resources of Iran. It may be late, but you can take action to compensate for the damage.