A POSTCAPITALIST PARADIGM: THE COMMON GOOD OF ...

due to the intrusion of sea water. Millions of people will have to abandon
their land, with all the economic and social consequences of such a
mass displacement in a country that is already suffer from overpopulation.
Climate change has also its impact on the amount of water in the
Nile basin 154 which is shared by 10 African countries. Contradicting future
scenarios make the situation of water supply more confusing and
unpredictable. If Nile water is going to decrease, Egypt will be faced
with major food crises, even famines. On the other hand, if the amount
of rains is increased on the Nile source areas, Egypt will be threatened
by floods. In the absence of national efforts or regional cooperation between
the concerned parties, no more precise projections can be developed.
The issue is not only scientific or technological. Political willing
and support from international institutions are needed.
Most of Arab countries lie in arid and hyper-arid zones, with scarce water
resources. Climate change will lead to the increase of atmospheric temperature.
That will lead, accordingly, to more evaporation from soil and
crops, which in turn requests more water for irrigation. The demand for
water, which is already a source of conflicts now, will be aggravated.
These threats will have their burdens on rural communities in the Arab
countries. In view of the biased development policies that prevailed in
our countries, capital cities, main harbors and industrial centers have
acted as giant magnets attracting young people from countryside to big
cities, which led, in many cases, to the deterioration of public facilities
and the proliferation of non-formal settlements, in fragile and marginal
areas around big urban centers where the poor are subjects to all known
social and economic hardships.
Climate change, with its all consequences is expected to intensify these
problems. Industrial countries who are the biggest producers of greenhouse
gases should assist developing countries in mitigation and adaptation
policies and programs.
154 Nile is a “common good”, like other common water resources in our region (Turkey,
Syrian and Iraq is another example, and Lebanon, Jordan, Occupied Palestine and Israel
is a third example of conflicts over common water resources).
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