Demand for desalinated water is expected to increase in the Middle East.
Particularly in Bahrain, where the government has made significant plans for meeting and expanding the water demand for the next 15 years, it is anticipated that by 2030, the total output of desalinated water will increase by almost 72%.
Since desalination is the only method accessible in the region, Gulf Arab governments rely largely on it for their water supplies.
The UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia all rely on desalinated water for a portion of their supplies, according to the French Institute of International Relations, which also notes that the UAE relies on it for 42% of its supply.
According to the research, Middle Eastern nations’ desalination capacity is predicted to triple by 2030.
As a result, it is more challenging to limit CO2 emissions since desalination facilities need electricity generated from natural gas to run their processes and provide their energy needs.
Additionally, the desalination process increases the salinity of our seas while simultaneously releasing a surplus of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Increased salinity levels in coastal waterways can harm marine life when the residual water, which is highly laden with salt particles after being separated from the ocean, is frequently discharged back into the sea.
Governments must plan for rising demand as a result of growing populations, but experts and a variety of sources assert that there are more efficient and ecologically friendly methods to achieve this.
Using destructive methods to address existing problems simply makes them worse in the long run, like climate change.
NEOM, which will only be powered by clean and renewable energy, is one example of how Gulf governments are starting to prepare for the future by transitioning to solar energy.
Despite having a wealth of oil and gas, the Gulf states lack fresh water, which necessitates the ecologically hazardous desalination process.
Source: newsofbahrain
