By: Noor Masannat

Access full article here: Jordan in Deep Water: Calling for an effective governance structure to address scarcity

Abstract:

Jordan is one of the top water poorest countries in the world, situated in a regional system characterized by instability. This paper aims to analyze Jordan’s water scarcity through a case-based study from multiple governance angles, and asks the following research question: does water governance hold the key to improve Jordan’s water scarcity? To answer this question, the paper first attempts to give an overall view of the scale of Jordan’s water scarcity, including a brief look into the external factors that contribute to Jordan’s water scarcity, then mainly analyzes Jordan’s water governance structure through looking at the role of the main institutions, private sector and the international community involved in the water sector. Additionally, although this research paper does not provide a detailed analysis of possible solutions or recommendations, this paper claims that there are shortcomings in the focus of Jordan’s water governance and finds out that there is more attention given to the supply side than the demand side. The research conducted in this paper makes an original empirical contribution because most of the literature works found on Jordan’s water problems look at external factors such as climate change and population growth, while very few analyze the governance structure of the water sector. This paper argues that while external causes play a significant role in aggravating Jordan’s water scarcity, the weak water governance performance has a bigger impact on water problems. 

Jordan in Deep Water: Calling for an effective governance structure to address scarcity