Natural World Heritage in Greatest Need – Rescue for the Jordan River!

The Jordan River is of extremely high cultural, political, economic and environmental importance - not only for the Middle East. Important world heritage sites can be found on its shores and the Jordan itself is holy for Christians, Jews and Muslims. Each year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims symbolically get baptized in the river, even though the water in the Lower Jordan River represents a public health hazard. The diversion of over 96% of its fresh water for industrial use, domestic consumption and agricultural irrigation has done untold damage to the river. Once a powerful stream, the Lower Jordan River is nowadays only a trickle of untreated sewage and salt water. By now, half of its biodiversity is destroyed and the otter as well as the 500 million migratory birds, which roost in the Jordan River Valley twice a year, are endangered.

Struggle for Water and New Hope for the Jordan

or many years our partner organization FoEME has been fighting for the protection of the water resources in the Middle East. Numerous research studies and position papers to advance understanding towards the rehabilitation of the Lower Jordan River Valley have been published by FoEME. One goal identified in the reports aims to return 400 to 600 million cubic meters of good quality water to the river. In addition, new sewage treatment plants are planned to be build, in order to eliminate the largest source of pollution.

NGO Master Plan - A Vision for the Lower Jordan Valley

The project "NGO Master Plan: A Vision for the Lower Jordan Valley" began in early 2012. Together with FoEME and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the Global Nature Fund (GNF) advocates the joint cooperation of Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian decision makers for the rehabilitation of the Lower Jordan.

A central objective of the project is the elaboration of a trans-boundary regional development plan for the Lower Jordan River Basin. Furthermore, regional cooperation and dialogue between Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian decision makers need to be strengthened. The successful cooperation in this project shall pave the way for further relations between the three countries. For the development of the master plan, an international team of experts led by Royal Haskoning, DHV and involving experts from the Netherlands, Palestine, Jordan, and Israel were hired. The GNF will support the project with its experience in the field of international and European water management. The project is funded by the European Union in the framework of the SWIM program (Sustainable Water Integrated Management).

There are still 80,000 euros missing for the project. Please help to bring the holy Jordan River back to life with your donation!

More information available about the project "NGO Master Plan - A Vision for the Lower Jordan Valley".