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

The MENA region faces severe climate vulnerability characterized by warming and water scarcity, yet adaptation and mitigation efforts are often siloed. The document proposes a 'nexus' approach that integrates water and energy planning to identify synergies, such as solar desalination or energy recovery from wastewater, and recommends the use of integrated tools like WEAP and LEAP to move beyond reactive, short-term coping measures.

• The MENA region is highly vulnerable to climate change, with models predicting significant warming and more frequent, intense droughts, which exacerbates existing water scarcity in 'closed basins' like the Nile and Jordan rivers where no unallocated water remains.
• Water and energy management in the MENA region have historically been handled separately, creating a disconnect where adaptation is viewed as a water issue and mitigation as an energy issue, despite their deep interconnection.
• A 'nexus' approach can identify synergies and avoid negative trade-offs between sectors; for example, while some desalination is energy-intensive and increases CO2 emissions, carbon-neutral solar desalination or combining wastewater treatment with energy production from sludge can serve both adaptation and mitigation goals.
• Lebanon presents a specific case where snowfall—a key water source—could decline by 40% with 2°C of warming and 70% with 4°C, though the country has untapped renewable energy potential and an integrated Ministry for Water and Energy that could lead nexus implementation.
• The document recommends that MENA governments utilize integrated planning tools, specifically the linking of the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) system and the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) system, to support low-emissions development and water master plans.

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} }