Green Initiatives on the Periphery
In the suburbs of Beirut, people die trying to connect their homes to electricity. On the outskirts of Amman, Jordanians must wait for a weekly delivery of water on government trucks while a dozen powerful families pump water and grow crops free of government intervention. In Tunis, protestors stage weekly protests denouncing corruption, mismanagement, and pollution at the largest landfill in the country.
Shortcomings in the provision and management of electricity, water, and waste affects the daily lives of millions of people across the Arab World. It also takes an economic toll, preventing businesses and traders from being competitive in a global marketplace.
The CSIS Middle East Program is analyzing the conditions that lead to the success or failure of efforts to deliver services in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way in the Arab World. Our research focuses on how different kinds of local and national political support and international financing contribute to successful local and decentralized environmental initiatives.
CSIS will condense the findings into a 10,000-word report to be released in late February and has formed a working group of regional experts and a high-level advisory board to contribute analysis and help guide the project.
