Climate Change, Water and Energy in the MENA Region: Why a ‘Nexus’ Approach is Crucial for Mitigation and Adaptation

This discussion brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute argues for a 'nexus' approach to climate change in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, emphasizing the critical interdependence of water and energy planning for effective mitigation and adaptation.

• The MENA region faces severe climate vulnerability characterized by significant warming and increased water instability. Climate models indicate a trend of "longer, more intense and more frequent droughts and increasing uncertainty in rainfall and water availability," which is compounded by the fact that many regional rivers are "closed basins" with no remaining unallocated water and over-exploited aquifers.
• Water and energy management in the MENA region have historically been handled in isolation, creating a disconnect where adaptation is viewed as a water issue and mitigation as an energy issue. This sectoral separation ignores critical interactions, such as the high energy intensity of desalination technologies which can "increase CO2 emissions," or the high water requirements of certain low-carbon energy solutions.
• A 'nexus' approach—integrating water and energy planning—can identify synergies that serve both adaptation and mitigation. Examples of such solutions include "combining wastewater treatment and reuse with energy production from sludge" or utilizing "carbon-neutral solar desalination" to avoid negative environmental impacts.
• Lebanon presents a specific case where integrated management could be highly effective due to its "integrated Ministry for Water and Energy." While the country has untapped renewable energy potential and significant water from mountain snow, it faces risks of snowfall declines—potentially "by 40% with 2°C of warming, and 70% with 4°C"—and seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers.
• The brief recommends that MENA governments adopt integrated planning tools, specifically the linking of the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) system and the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) system. It also suggests regional cooperation for joint resource management, such as within the Nile basin, and the potential creation of a "dedicated MENA climate fund" possibly through the OPEC Fund for International Development.

APA

Benzie, M., Davis, M., & Hoff, H. (2012). Climate Change, Water and Energy in the MENA Region: Why a ‘Nexus’ Approach is Crucial for Mitigation and Adaptation. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/SEI-DB-2012-MENA-climate-nexus.pdf

Chicago

Benzie, Magnus, Marion Davis, and Holger Hoff. Climate Change, Water and Energy in the MENA Region: Why a ‘Nexus’ Approach is Crucial for Mitigation and Adaptation. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2012. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/SEI-DB-2012-MENA-climate-nexus.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Benzie |first1=Magnus |last2=Davis |first2=Marion |last3=Hoff |first3=Holger |title=Climate Change, Water and Energy in the MENA Region: Why a ‘Nexus’ Approach is Crucial for Mitigation and Adaptation |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2012 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/SEI-DB-2012-MENA-climate-nexus.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{benzie2012climate, author = {Benzie, Magnus and Davis, Marion and Hoff, Holger}, title = {{Climate Change, Water and Energy in the MENA Region: Why a ‘Nexus’ Approach is Crucial for Mitigation and Adaptation}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2012}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/SEI-DB-2012-MENA-climate-nexus.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }