Protecting the Environment
In Jordan, USAID works with nongovernmental and educational institutions to raise public awareness about the sorting and disposal of hazardous household and medical waste. (Photo: USAID)
MIDDLE EAST BUREAU ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMS
Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen
CONTACTS
John Wilson
Bureau Environment Officer
Tel: (202) 712-4633
Email: jwilson@usaid.gov Overview
The continued social and economic development of the Middle East rests on the responsible stewardship and sustainable use of its natural resources. The challenge is great: demands on the environment and for energy are intensifying due to population growth. Weak governance and poverty also complicate efforts to protect the environment and mitigate climate change. USAID addresses these challenges as described below and reviews all of its programs for potential environmental impacts.
Programs
Partnering With Governments
USAID works closely with governments in the Middle East on a number of priority environmental initiatives. These include improving sustainable approaches and policies that protect natural resources and allow economic growth, strengthening the capacity of institutions involved in environmental management, and supporting the establishment of appropriate monitoring and enforcement programs, such as the expansion of protected areas, watershed management, and land-use planning. In Jordan, USAID partners with the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assist the Jordanian government in building nature centers and lodges, and developing ecotourism.
Reducing Pollution
In Cairo, Egypt, USAID has modernized lead smelters and cleaned the sites of contaminated smelters. These efforts have reduced lead exposure in the densely populated neighborhood where most of the smelters are located, thus improving the health of some of the city’s poorest people.
In Jordan, USAID collaborates with several large industries to assess, prevent, manage, and reduce industrial pollution. USAID has trained over 400 professionals on environmental compliance, wastewater monitoring, and industrial process audits. In Iraq, USAID recently funded the construction, operation, and maintenance of several wastewater treatment plants covering 5 million people, significantly reducing the pollution of waterways.
Making Clean Water Available To Communities
USAID has launched a Blue Revolution Initiative that aims to increase broad-based access to safe water and improved sanitation for security, prosperity, and health in the Middle East. Through this initiative, USAID works in partnership with other federal agencies, national and local governments, regional organizations, other donors, and the private sector to reduce tensions associated with water. The initiative also promotes more efficient use of water; improves utility operations and service delivery; and increases municipal and private financing for water supply and sanitation. In Iraq, West Bank/Gaza, and Morocco, USAID has facilitated the use of treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation, helping to conserve water in regions where freshwater is scarce.
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