Jordan Daily – President of the Higher Council For Science And Technology (HCST), Prince El Hassan bin Talal, Tuesday, talked about involving local communities with the water, energy, food and ecosystems nexus during a conference at the University of Jordan (UJ).
In his speech during the opening session of the two-day conference, Prince El Hassan discussed the “necessity” of involving stakeholders and local communities in the water, energy, food and ecosystems nexus challenges and achieving citizenship and belonging through work.
Prince El Hassan cited World Bank figures that 40 per cent of the world’s population is living under the impact of the water scarcity crisis and that by 2040, an estimated one in four children would live in areas suffering from severe water shortages.
He added that reports from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) indicate that food production must increase by 70 per cent by 2050 to feed a projected global population of 9.7 billion, all while mitigating the environmental impacts of agriculture.
He added that reports and statistics about the water and food realities confirm a “need for a real and effective will to find policies to implement the natural interplay between water, energy, food and ecosystems.”
He noted the “importance” of creating a regional water and energy community to link the countries of the Levant, similar to the European Coal and Steel Community.
He called for action to keep people in their land, enhancing the value of human dignity and maximising community investment serving stability and economic modernisation and ensuring the distribution of benefits to different regions.
He discussed the repercussions of the war on embattled Gaza and its finances, the extent of the destruction inflicted on people and the agricultural, water, energy and food sectors.
In turn, the Acting German Ambassador to Jordan, Florian Rendel, said, “The scarcity of water resources in Jordan, along with the increasing demand for drinking, irrigation, etc., requires the development of a clear methodology that confirms that sustainable development is an essential link between water and energy.”
The conference is held with the support of the German Foundation for International Cooperation (GIZ).
