Commonalities

Failures in service provision are an increasing environmental, economic, and political threat to Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia. Demand for increased services from growing populations and economies is not the only source of the problem. Climate change and forced displacement, both of which are beyond governments’ control, compound the pressures. These governments strain to increase supplies of electricity and water and to dispose of waste, but they are often forced to resort to short-term fixes that are environmentally and economically unsustainable. Since service delivery already consumes a huge percentage of their budgets, further increases in spending on services are difficult. As a result, ser-vices are increasingly patchy—causing di-minished economic growth, cumbersome workarounds, and rising public anger that often drives thousands to the streets in protest.

These countries’ mid-twentieth century experience was different. Then, the expansion of public utilities often seemed like a miracle, bringing improved health and an invigorated economy even to remote and rural areas. Combined with universal education and expanded transportation options, utilities were an integral part of the nation-building process for Middle Eastern states. In the countries under study, utilities helped millions shift their focus from mere survival, lifted an even larger number out of poverty, and created opportunities for leisure that were previously unimaginable.

This is the Commonalities section of Sustainable States: Environment, Governance, and the Future of the Middle East. Please click here for the full report.