MER Article

On Blaming Climate Change for the Syrian Civil War

The idea that the Syrian civil war was partly caused by climate change induced drought is widely repeated and yet deeply flawed. Jan Selby excavates the sources of misleading information and dismantles the simplistic cause and effect argument. Most importantly, he explains the real political and eco

Jan Selby • 13 min read

MER Article

Water in the Middle East: A Primer

A valuable introduction that challenges the dominant narratives, in PDF format.

Jessica Barnes • 1 min read

Current Analysis

Global Aspirations and Local Realities of Solar Energy in Morocco

Morocco's massive Noor solar power installation in Ouarzazate is celebrated as an important step in the transition to renewable energy. But the benefits are not flowing to all citizens. Rural unrest and other demonstrations of discontent in recent years are piercing the government's techno-optimism.

Atman Aoui, Moulay Ahmed el Amrani, Karen Rignall • 16 min read

Current Analysis

On Blaming Climate Change for the Syrian Civil War

The idea that the Syrian civil war was partly caused by climate change induced drought is widely repeated and yet deeply flawed. Jan Selby excavates the sources of misleading information and dismantles the simplistic cause and effect argument. Most importantly, he explains the real political and eco

Jan Selby • 13 min read

Current Analysis

Overstating Climate Change in Egypt’s Uprising

Although climate change is a major issue of global consequence, blaming climate change for the 2011 uprising in Egypt fails to account for the political and economic issues that were behind the uprisings across the region and distracts from the factors that produced bread shortages in Egypt.

Jessica Barnes • 7 min read

Current Analysis

Five Exciting Developments from Across the Middle East in 2015

Negative stories about the Middle East dominated Western news headlines in 2015. It’s easy for Americans, especially those who listen to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his supporters, to get the impression that the region is just one miserable homogeneous place of violence, terro

Jessica Winegar • 3 min read

Current Analysis

Syria's Drought and the Rise of a War Economy

The grinding war in Syria brings new horrors with every passing week. The death toll and the number of displaced people continue to soar, as more areas of the country are reduced to rubble. This month, two additional issues with dire long-term consequences have been gaining attention: the possible d

Omar S. Dahi • 2 min read

MER Article

From the Editors (Spring 2010)

The Middle East is running out of water.

Chris Toensing, Jeannie Sowers • 8 min read

MER Article

Mediterranean Blues

Under pressure to solve immediate economic problems, 
Middle Eastern countries seek to industrialize as 
quickly and as cheaply as possible. While developed countries around the world are very slowly adopting technologies and production methods that exert less pressure on the environment, Western in

Zeina al-Hajj • 4 min read

MER Article

Mining for Fish

Around 10,000 of the estimated million people employed 
in Egypt’s fishing sector are based in ‘Izbat al-Burg, situated at the northernmost tip of the Nile’s Damietta Branch and bordered on the east by the vast Lake Manzala. As recently as nine years ago, Lake Manzala was a major fishing area and a co

Amal Sabri, Ray Bush • 12 min read

MER Article

From the Editor (Fall 2000)

As the western and southern United States sizzled in record heat this summer, a broad swath of the Middle East was suffering through the worst drought in memory. Through June and July, Middle Easterners sweltered in unusually high temperatures. In Morocco, where half the population works in agricult

The Editors • 3 min read