Two recent landmark studies by the environmental organization Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) have forecast that the lower segment of the Jordan River could collapse as early as next year due to global warming, extreme pollution and decades of human use that
Two recent landmark studies by the environmental organization Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) have forecast that the lower segment of the Jordan River could collapse as early as next year due to global warming, extreme pollution and decades of human use that have resulted in up to 98% diversion of the river’s volume.
These FoEME studies are the first to show the shocking level of demise and the extent of rehabilitation needed to restore the river.
Stating that river flow since the 1930s has gone from 1.3 billion cubic meters per year to just 20 million annually today, FoEME researchers point out that the river south of the Sea of Galilee has been reduced to a contaminated trickle.
Chairman and Jordanian FoEME Director Munqeth Mehyar stated, “…We have lost at least 50% percent of biodiversity in and around the river due to the near total diversion of fresh water… Some 400 million cubic meters of water annually are urgently needed to be returned to the river to bring it back to life.”
Recently, the organization, which is also unique in bringing together Israeli, Palestinian and Jor