GEO-6 Regional Asssement for West Asia
of industrial activities, which contribute up to 49.5 per cent of West Asia’s GDP (EOAR 2010; LAS 2007).
3.5.3 Land
Geography, and consequently climate, have modified the environment of West Asia to produce arid to semi-arid conditions across most of the region, reducing its capacity in terms of freshwater, food production and economic growth. Cultivated land and forests make up only 4.8 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively of the land area. Rangelands have deteriorated through overgrazing and wind erosion of cultivated marginal lands, which has led to increased desertification and dust storms. In addition, the high rates of population growth and urbanization as well as continuous conflicts and wars for more than 70 years, associated with population displacement and migration as well as bad governance, have all widened the gap between supply and demand and led to high levels of land depletion, and poverty, making the future bleak for land and people alike. Local indigenous scientific research is crippled throughout West Asia and must be encouraged and supported to help solve such issues.
3.5.4 Biodiversity
Biodiversity underpins the essence of life and the roots of culture in West Asia. The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 provides the region with numerous opportunities to conserve and restore its biodiversity before it is too late. Results from the scoping done by West Asian countries during preparation of their fifth national reports to the CBD have shown that biodiversity across the region is witnessing a rapid decline in both habitat cover and species populations, despite many efforts to protect and conserve them. Moreover, there is an urgent need to improve institutional, systemic and individual capacities to ensure a basis for good governance of biodiversity conservation. Many countries are also seen to lack the necessary tools and policy instruments to implement various international agreements such as the Nagoya and Cartegena Protocols. On a more positive note, progress has been noted in the region with countries
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showcasing increased commitment in the implementation of the CBD and their contributions towards achieving the Aichi Targets, in addition to embracing the ecosystem-based approach and encouraging stakeholder engagement. Under business-as-usual conditions it is expected that unsustainable development will continue accompanied by exponential population growth that exceeds the environment’s carrying capacity, uncontrolled human consumption resulting in an increase in waste production, and illegal hunting and trade along with other negative practices such as overgrazing and land-use change. All these contribute further to degrading the region’s habitats and driving species towards extinction.
However, holistic and innovative approaches to biodiversity conservation can be embraced at the regional level, inspired by rising environmental consciousness and resulting in shifting attitudes and behaviour among communities. Little or no governance being one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, this approach embraces balance (sustainability) at its core, thereby envisioning a future in which governments, private and civil society organisations work together in partnership to ensure good governance in the region. This results in good biodiversity management and conservation accompanied by social and economic growth.
3.5.5 Water
Given the aridity of West Asia – expected to intensify under climatic change – the region has little prospect of increasing its natural water supplies. However, a combination of demand management and augmentation of supply from treated wastewater and desalination, and effective control of water pollution, can help the region rein in the rapid rise in water poverty, and potentially reverse the trend if population growth decelerates at an increasing rate.
Sustainable resource management is gaining stronger ground in various countries of the West Asia region. Countries in the GCC initiated bold policies and measures in 2015-2016 to enhance water and energy efficiency and put a price tag on environmental services. Voluntary energy and water efficiency programmes were enhanced, and complemented
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