Impact of Turmoil and Gas Resources in the Eastern Mediterranean on Jordanian Energy Security and Foreign Policy

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Summer 2020) ◽  
pp. 237-255
Author(s):  
Ahmad Alshwawra ◽  
Ahmad Almuhtady
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Energy Security ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Security Framework ◽  
International Context ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact

The Mediterranean region has witnessed a lot of turbulence in the last decade. On the one hand, the Arab uprising changed the shape of the regional relations towards more rivalry. On the other hand, the discovery of natural gas resources has opened up a valuable chance for cooperation and settling the long-standing disputes. Jordan is affected by what happens in the Mediterranean region in more than one aspect. The various economic difficulties including energy insecurity, resulting from multiple refugee crises and the interruption of Egyptian gas is one of the most critical challenges Jordan has ever faced. As a heavy energy importer, the Jordanian energy sector is very sensitive to the regional and International context. The recently discovered Eastern Mediterranean gas is an attractive energy resource for Jordan. Nonetheless, a fear of its influence on the Jordanian foreign policy in the Palestinian context has grown. This article discusses the impact of the recent turmoil in the Mediterranean region on Jordan energy security. It tracks the change of energy security in Jordan between 2010 and 2018 using a proposed energy security framework. The article also discusses the potential implications of Jordan’s decision to import the Mediterranean gas through Israel on Jordanian energy security using the proposed energy security framework. Moreover, the article utilizes semi-systematic literature review methodology to analyze international, regional and national contexts in order to investigate the potential ramifications of that decision on Jordanian foreign policy regarding the Palestinian cause.

What Biden may bring to the Eastern Mediterranean Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Winter 2021) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Soliman Al-Zawawy
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
International Organizations ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Election Campaign ◽  
Bilateral Approach ◽  
Policy Objectives ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S

This paper aims to forecast the route that Joe Biden, will take in his foreign policy toward the Eastern Mediterranean, by trying to analyze the content of his speeches and rhetoric before and shortly after taking office. In this context, America’s relation to Turkey will be pivotal in order to gauge the impact of any change in U.S. course. After four years of Trump’s doctrine of ‘America First’ and his bilateral approach, there are many expectations that the newly elected president will follow a more multilateral approach and will put more importance on international organizations and alliances across the Atlantic. Those expectations are more like wishes, however, when it comes to the Eastern Mediterranean, which is on the verge of a critical standoff between Turkey and its neighbors. There are some speculations that Biden will take a more affirmative stance against Turkey. Indeed, Biden has stressed the value of cooperating with allies to achieve foreign policy objectives. But despite the harsh language, Biden used during his election campaign to describe Turkey’s leadership, it is still unclear whether Biden will place the U.S. on a collision course with Turkey.

scholarly journals High diversified benthic habitats in a tidal Mediterranean sub-tropical environment: the case of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abir Fersi ◽  
Nawfel Mosbahi ◽  
Ali Bakalem ◽  
Jean-Philippe Pezy ◽  
Alexandrine Baffreau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Tropical Environment ◽  
Gulf Of Gabes ◽  
Annual Cycles ◽  
Gulf Of Gabès ◽  
Zostera Noltei ◽  
Sediment Types ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact

The Gulf of Gabès on the southern coasts of Tunisia in the central part of the Mediterranean is a very shallow basin, characterized by semidiurnal tides, attaining a range of 2.3 m during spring tides. The intertidal zone was covered by extended Zostera (Zosterella) noltei Hornemann, 1832 beds mainly developed around the Kneiss Islands while tidal channels ensured the water circulation in this sub-tropical environment with very low freshwater input and high summer temperature. In spite of protected conventions, the area remained under high human pressures: overfishing, and the impact of the pollution of the phosphate industry. Intensive sampling in both intertidal and shallow subtidal zones during annual cycles permitted to identify a rich macrofauna which increase considerably the species known in this eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. More than 50 species are added for the Tunisian fauna. Moreover, patterns of diversity are analysed with the sediment types, presence or absence of Zostera noltei seagrass bed, and human pressures. The list of the collected species are compared with those of surrounding areas in both Western and Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

scholarly journals Mediterranean irrigation under climate change: more efficient irrigation needed to compensate increases in irrigation water requirements

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 8459-8504 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Fader ◽  
S. Shi ◽  
W. von Bloh ◽  
A. Bondeau ◽  
W. Cramer
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Co2 Fertilization ◽  
Fertilization Effect ◽  
Co2 Fertilization Effect ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Irrigation Requirements

Abstract. Irrigation in the Mediterranean is of vital importance for food security, employment and economic development. This study systematically assesses how climate change and increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations may affect irrigation requirements in the Mediterranean region by 2080–2090. Future demographic change and technological improvements in irrigation systems are accounted for, as is the spread of climate forcing, warming levels and potential realization of the CO2-fertilization effect. Vegetation growth, phenology, agricultural production and irrigation water requirements and withdrawal were simulated with the process-based ecohydrological and agro-ecosystem model LPJmL after a large development that comprised the improved representation of Mediterranean crops. At present the Mediterranean region could save 35 % of water by implementing more efficient irrigation and conveyance systems. Some countries like Syria, Egypt and Turkey have higher saving potentials than others. Currently some crops, especially sugar cane and agricultural trees, consume in average more irrigation water per hectare than annual crops. Different crops show different magnitude of changes in net irrigation requirements due to climate change, being the increases most pronounced in agricultural trees. The Mediterranean area as a whole might face an increase in gross irrigation requirements between 4 and 18 % from climate change alone if irrigation systems and conveyance are not improved (2 °C global warming combined with full CO2-fertilization effect, and 5 °C global warming combined with no CO2-fertilization effect, respectively). Population growth increases these numbers to 22 and 74 %, respectively, affecting mainly the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean. However, improved irrigation technologies and conveyance systems have large water saving potentials, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean, and may be able to compensate to some degree the increases due to climate change and population growth. Both subregions would need around 35 % more water than today if they could afford some degree of modernization of irrigation and conveyance systems and benefit from the CO2-fertilization effect. Nevertheless, water scarcity might pose further challenges to the agricultural sector: Algeria, Libya, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Serbia, Morocco, Tunisia and Spain have a high risk of not being able to sustainably meet future irrigation water requirements in some scenarios. The results presented in this study point to the necessity of performing further research on climate-friendly agro-ecosystems in order to assess, on the one side, their degree of resilience to climate shocks, and on the other side, their adaptation potential when confronted with higher temperatures and changes in water availability.

scholarly journals Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance and Control in the Mediterranean Region: report of the ARMed Consensus Conference

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (09) ◽  
pp. 654-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Borg ◽  
Barry D. Cookson ◽  
Peter Zarb ◽  
Elizabeth A. Scicluna ◽  
ARMed Steering Group & Collaborators *
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Consensus Conference ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
And Control

Antimicrobial resistance has become a global threat to effective health care delivery. This is particularly the case within the Mediterranean region, where data from recent studies suggests the situation to be particularly acute. A better knowledge base, as well as a collaborative effort, is therefore required to address this ever increasing challenge to effective patient care. Over its four-year period, the Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance and Control in the Mediterranean Region (ARMed) project investigated the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance, as well as its contributory factors, in a number of countries in the southern and eastern Mediterranean region through the collection of comparable and validated data. The project culminated in a consensus conference held in Malta in November 2006. The conference provided a forum for expert delegates to agree on a number of priority strategic recommendations that would be relevant to resistance containment efforts in the region. There was general agreement on the need for surveillance and audit to underpin any intervention to tackle antimicrobial resistance, both to monitor changing epidemiological trends in critical pathogens as well as to identify antibiotic consumption practices and effectiveness of prevention and control of health care associated infections. In addition, the importance to convey these data to key users was also stressed in all workshops, as was better education and training of health care workers. The recommendations also made it clear that ownership of the problem needs to be improved throughout the region and that resources, both financial as well as human, must be allocated by the respective policy makers in order to combat it.

Relative impact of irrigation techniques and climate change on hydroclimatic regimes in the Mediterranean region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Pool ◽  
Félix Francés ◽  
Alberto Garcia-Prats ◽  
Manuel Pulido-Velazquez ◽  
Carles Sanichs-Ibor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Control Period ◽  
Irrigated Agriculture ◽  
Flood Irrigation ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Projected Changes ◽  
The Impact

<p>Irrigated agriculture is the major water consumer in the Mediterranean region. Improved irrigation techniques have been widely promoted to reduce water withdrawals and increase resilience to climate change impacts. In this study, we assess the impact of the ongoing transition from flood to drip irrigation on future hydroclimatic regimes in the agricultural areas of Valencia (Spain). The impact assessment is conducted for a control period (1971-2000), a near-term future (2020-2049) and a mid-term future (2045-2074) using a chain of models that includes five GCM-RCM combinations, two emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5), two irrigation scenarios (flood and drip irrigation), and twelve parameterizations of the hydrological model Tetis. Results of this modelling chain suggest considerable uncertainties regarding the magnitude and sign of future hydroclimatic changes. Yet, climate change could lead to a statistically significant decrease in future groundwater recharge of up -6.6% in flood irrigation and -9.3% in drip irrigation. Projected changes in actual evapotranspiration are as well statistically significant, but in the order of +1% in flood irrigation and -2.1% in drip irrigation under the assumption of business as usual irrigation schedules. The projected changes and the related uncertainties will pose a challenging context for future water management. However, our findings further indicate that the effect of the choice of irrigation technique may have a greater impact on hydroclimate than climate change alone. Explicitly considering irrigation techniques in climate change impact assessment might therefore be a way towards better informed decision-making.</p><p>This study has been supported by the IRRIWAM research project funded by the Coop Research Program of the ETH Zurich World Food System Center and the ETH Zurich Foundation, and by the ADAPTAMED (RTI2018-101483-B-I00) and TETISCHANGE (RTI2018-093717-B-I00) research projects funded by the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO) of Spain including EU FEDER funds.</p>

scholarly journals Migrant Workers from the Eastern-Mediterranean Region and Occupational Injuries: A Retrospective Database-Based Analysis from North-Eastern Italy

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Riccò ◽  
Sergio Garbarino ◽  
Nicola Bragazzi
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Ramadan Fasting ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Retrospective Database

The month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and, according to the Islamic tradition, it coincides with the month when the Noble Koran/Qur’an began to be revealed. In recent years, concerns about the potentially negative health effects of Ramadan fasting and the risks of work-related injuries have increased in Western European (EURO) countries. In the present study, we performed a retrospective database-based analysis assessing the impact of Ramadan fasting on occupational injuries (OIs) in North-Eastern Italy among migrant workers from the Eastern-Mediterranean Region (EMRO). Our results suggest that EMRO workers exhibit a significantly increased risk for OIs during Ramadan in periods characterized by heat-waves, while their frequency was somehow reduced for days associated with Ramadan characterized by increased but not extreme temperatures. However, these results may be attributable to an explanatory causation in the specific differences between EMRO and EURO workers in the job tasks performed at the workplace. Not coincidentally, no significant differences were found regarding industrial settings, mechanisms of OIs and final prognosis. Despite the obvious practical implications for health decision- and policy-makers, due to the limitations of the present investigation, further studies are warranted.

scholarly journals Jetstream and rainfall distribution in the Mediterranean region

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2469-2481 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gaetani ◽  
M. Baldi ◽  
G. A. Dalu ◽  
G. Maracchi
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Basin ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Atlantic Region ◽  
Rainfall Distribution ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Rainfall Anomalies ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Cross ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Two Jets

Abstract. This is a study on the impact of the jetstream in the Euro-Atlantic region on the rainfall distribution in the Mediterranean region; the study, based on data analysis, is restricted to the Mediterranean rainy season, which lasts from September to May. During this season, most of the weather systems originate over the Atlantic, and are carried towards the Mediterranean region by the westerly flow. In the upper troposphere of the Euro-Atlantic region this flow is characterized by two jets: the Atlantic jet, which crosses the ocean with a northeasterly tilt, and the African jet, which flows above the coast of North Africa. This study shows that the cross-jet circulation of the Atlantic jet favors storm activity in its exit region, while the cross-jet circulation of the African jet suppresses this kind of activity in its entrance region, with the 1st jet-stormtrack covariance mode explaining nearly 50% of the variability. It follows that the rainfall distribution downstream to these cross-jet circulations is strongly influenced by their relative positions. Specifically, in fall, rainfall is abundant in the western Mediterranean basin (WM), when the Atlantic jet is relatively strong but its northeasterly tilt is small, and the African jet is in its easternmost position. In winter, rainfall is abundant in the eastern Mediterranean basin (EM); this is when the Atlantic jet reaches the Scandinavian peninsula and the African jet is in its westernmost position. In spring, when the two jets weaken, the Atlantic jet retreats over the ocean, but the African jet stays in its winter position, rainfall is abundant in the Alpine region and in the Balkans. In addition, the covariance between precipitation and the jetstream has been evaluated. In fall, the latitudinal displacement of the Atlantic jet and the longitudinal displacement of the African jet modulate rainfall anomalies in the WM, with 38% explained covariance. In winter, the latitudinal displacement of the Atlantic jet produces rainfall anomalies in the western and central Mediterranean, with 45% explained covariance. In spring, the latitudinal displacement of the African jet produces rainfall anomalies, with 38% explained covariance.

The genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 (Araneae: Clubionidae) in the Maghreb, with notes on the genevensis group and new records from the Mediterranean Region

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4353 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT BOSMANS ◽  
ARNAUD HENRARD ◽  
SOUÂD BENHALIMA ◽  
OURIDA KHERBOUCHE-ABROUS
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
New Records ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Species Group ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Synonyms ◽  
Nomen Dubium ◽  
The Mediterranean

A survey of the members of the genus Clubiona Latreille, 1904 in the Maghreb is presented. The presence of Clubiona comta C. L. Koch, 1839, C. dinienis Simon, 1878, C. leucaspis Simon, 1932, C. phragmitis C. L. Koch 1843 and C. vegeta Simon, 1918 is confirmed. Clubiona pseudosimilis Mikhailov, 1990, from the eastern Mediterranean is new to Africa and Portugal. A specimen of C. neglecta O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1862, cited from Morocco in the past, was misidentified and appears to be C. pseudoneglecta Wunderlich, 1994. The species is new to Algeria and Spain. Two new synonyms are revealed: Clubiona baborensis Denis, 1937 from Algeria = C. diniensis Simon, 1878 N. Syn. and Clubiona venusta Pavesi, 1880 from Tunisia = Selamia reticulata (Simon, 1870) N. Syn. Clubiona mandibularis Lucas, 1846 is considered a Nomen dubium. The comta group is redefined and the “genevensis subgroup” is elevated to species group, including two subgroups. A key and illustrations to the species of the genevensis group are presented and all the species occurring in the Maghreb are illustrated. 

Investigation of the Climate Change Effects on the Mediterranean Region with the Hypothetical inclusion of the Istanbul Isthmus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elcin Tan
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Sea Level Changes ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact

<p>A debate on the probable Istanbul Isthmus Project that may have catastrophic impacts on our ecosystem has been recently accelerated in public, due to the fact that the approved environmental impact assessment (EIA) report of the hypothetical Istanbul Isthmus (HII) Project has recently been announced. The EIA report indicates that the assessment covers only the current conditions and the conditions that may arise during the construction of the HII. Unfortunately, The EIA report did not evaluate the climate change impact on either the Istanbul Area or Mediterranean Region after the inclusion of the HII, only the current conditions were evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the impact of HII on the climate of the Mediterranean Region. The climate version of the WRF Model is utilized with 9 km resolution for the Region 12: Mediterranean (CORDEX) for the historical conditions and RCP8.5 scenarios of available climate model results from CMIP5 and CMIP6 projects. Land surface and land use maps are prepared by following the EIA report if the necessary information is included, otherwise, the current conditions are applied. The atmospheric conditions were not coupled to an Ocean Model, only the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) values of the Ocean Models are coupled to the WRF model during both historical and future simulations. The model results are evaluated in terms of temperature, precipitation, and sea-level changes. Consequently, the results indicate that the HII may decrease the resilience of the Mediterranean Region to Climate Change.</p>

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