Challenges in the Middle East

Question 1

Food insecurity

Answer 1

• due to the high temperatures and lack of rainfall, only 2% of the land is arable
• this means that food has to be imported and has led to food shortages

Question 2

Food insecurity - solutions?

Answer 2

> In Saudi Arabia, the government gave out grants to companies to turn desert into farmland
But farms are expensive to run, it was cheaper to import the food rather than grow it
Saudi Arabia has also invested in farmland in Australia with the idea of importing crops from it

Question 3

Climate change

Answer 3

The region is becoming hotter and drier due to climate change

Question 4

Climate change - solutions?

Answer 4

Governments in the region have done very little to manage climate change

Question 5

Water stress

Answer 5

• the main source of water is a huge aquifer underneath the peninsular
• it is extracted and depleted

Question 6

Water stress - solutions?

Answer 6

> fresh drinking water is obtained by desalination of sea water which is an expensive process
waste water is cleaned up & used for crops
UAE carries out cloud seeding where planes spray tiny salt crystals into clouds, to encourage water droplets to grow larger and fall as rain

Question 7

Reduced demand for oil and gas

Answer 7

• many countries are turning to renewables

- this decreases the need for oil and gas

Question 8

Reduced demand for oil and gas - solutions?

Answer 8

> governments have been saving profits from oil and gas sales to buy shares in companies in other countries
plans to diversify their own economies
e.g. Dubai is now a financial hub for the Middle East and a world shopping destination