深度报告-2025-12-17-世界银行-新视角_中东和北非海水淡化的新问题和机遇（英）_112页_34mb

Summary of Fresh Perspectives: Emerging Issues and Opportunities for Desalination in the Middle East and North Africa

Core Content

The report Fresh Perspectives: Emerging Issues and Opportunities for Desalination in the Middle East and North Africa explores the evolving role of desalination in addressing water security challenges in the region. It highlights the growing importance of desalination as a critical adaptation strategy, especially for middle- and low-income countries (MICs and LICs), and outlines key issues and opportunities that can shape its future.

Main Issues and Opportunities

1. Technological Innovation and Cost Reduction

• Desalination is becoming more cost-effective and accessible due to technological advancements.
• Large-scale desalination has seen a shift from thermal to membrane-based technologies, notably reverse osmosis (RO), which offers better energy efficiency and lower costs.
• Emerging technologies such as forward osmosis (FO), membrane distillation (MD), and electrochemical desalination promise further improvements in cost and sustainability.
• Desalination is increasingly applied in small-scale, decentralized settings, including remote and conflict-affected areas.
• Successful implementation requires careful consideration of technology selection, local environmental conditions, energy sources, and brine disposal methods.

2. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Integration

• Energy use is a major factor in desalination costs and environmental impact.
• Desalination is projected to account for over 10% of the region's total energy consumption by 2040.
• Transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar and wind can help decouple desalination from fossil fuel dependency.
• Challenges include intermittency, transmission, and regulatory frameworks, which must be addressed to enable successful integration.
• Green hydrogen initiatives in the region offer synergies with desalination, enabling cross-subsidization and enhancing plant viability.
• A comprehensive national desalination strategy and integrated energy-water systems are essential to optimize the relationship between desalination and the power sector.

3. Environmental and Social Sustainability

• Desalination can reduce pressure on overused water resources but poses risks to marine environments, nearby communities, and ecosystem services.
• Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and cumulative impact assessments (CIAs) are critical to managing and mitigating potential impacts.
• Tailored requirements for different water bodies (Atlantic, Gulf, Mediterranean) are necessary to address varying environmental conditions.
• A precautionary approach is advised in the absence of scientific consensus on cumulative impacts.
• Socioeconomic benefits include employment, economic development, and public health improvements.
• Community engagement and transparent tariff-setting are essential to ensure equitable access to water.

4. Governance and Integrated Water Resources Management

• Strong sector governance and integrated water resources management (IWRM) are vital for sustainable desalination.
• Legal frameworks should clearly define water rights, responsibilities for seawater abstraction, and brine effluent management.
• Institutional and management structures need adaptation to accommodate the growing role of desalination.
• Desalination introduces new actors and stakeholders, necessitating clear frameworks for roles, responsibilities, risk allocation, and contract management.
• Private sector involvement requires effective procurement processes and incentive structures.
• Desalination should be integrated into broader water-sector strategies, including wastewater reuse, demand management, loss reduction, and utility performance strengthening.

5. Financial Sustainability

• Financial sustainability is essential for expanding desalination without compromising water sector equity or fiscal stability.
• Scaling desalination is costly, especially for MICs and LICs with competing fiscal demands.
• Strategic integration of desalination into broader water sector planning ensures affordability and long-term viability.
• Cost-reflective yet socially sensitive water pricing is necessary, with gradual reforms and targeted subsidies to protect vulnerable households.
• Project-level sustainability depends on optimizing life cycle costs through technological and financial innovation.
• Delivery models and financial structures should be designed to maximize value for money.

Key Information

• Water Scarcity: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces severe water shortages, with over half of the countries experiencing absolute water scarcity.
• Transboundary Resources: Over 60% of the region's water resources are transboundary, increasing vulnerability to national water security.
• Desalination Growth: Desalination is becoming a key solution, with HICs in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leading large-scale investments and innovations.
• Technological Trends: RO is the dominant method, with new technologies promising further efficiency and sustainability.
• Renewable Energy: Solar and wind integration is critical for reducing the carbon footprint and enhancing energy independence.
• Green Hydrogen: The region's green hydrogen ambitions offer new synergies and funding opportunities for desalination.
• E&S Management: Environmental and social considerations are central to sustainable desalination, requiring tailored approaches and impact assessments.
• Governance: Integrated water resources management and clear legal frameworks are necessary to support desalination's expansion.
• Financial Strategies: Cost-effective delivery models, transparent procurement, and innovative financial structuring are key to ensuring long-term viability.

Conclusion

The report emphasizes the need for a holistic, context-sensitive approach to desalination, integrating technological innovation, renewable energy, environmental and social management, strong governance, and financial sustainability. It calls for collaboration across HICs, MICs, and LICs, and advocates for the development of comprehensive strategies that align with global sustainability goals and regional water security needs.