Programme description: an integral view

1. Security
2. End states
3. First steps in a journey
4. Ecology
5. Planning

2. End states

What are we aiming for?

Security

  • In the Middle East oil will not endlessly be the major source of income. Greening the desert is a way for diversification of economic development. The potential role as granary for the region, as it was 5000 years ago could be regained and reestablish the base for a secure social dynamic.
  • The World bank recently predicted that when climate change is not dampened, in 15 years a 100 million people more face poverty by high food prices, crop failure and outbreak of disease. Providing water and food accessible to all is key in the plan.
  • Greening could dampen the volatility of food prices, excessive water stress could be prevented which is to be expected due to climate change.
  • If people have access to water, food and prospects on jobs and business, tensions do not necessarily lead to conflict; also support for jihadism and terrorism is likely to diminish.
  • Incentives to move to cities or from home countries to abroad are reduced because living base conditions are strengthened and prospects for jobs and business arise.
  • The role view of men as custodian of prosperity instead of being fighters for religion or tribe can be strengthened by having economic success.
  • Often moral revolutions happen by a change of circumstances: Greening MENA bring other circumstances to the people. More prosperity will help them to focus on planning and collaboration to gain more prosperity.
  • Refugee camps (and Safe Havens) and communities with large amounts of refugees can become self-sufficient and sustainable.
  • Sidestep: military compounds can become more self-sufficient with regard to water, food, and in collaboration with local communities leave fertile places after departure.

Ecology

  • Greening is a major intervention in combatting climate change by creating Carbon Sinks. Creating large scale carbon sinks based on Building Nature with Nature will show to be one of the cheapest and simplest ways to halt further rise of CO2 concentrations.
  • Biodiversity boosts, especially when single green plots are connected into a collar of green pearls.
  • Greening the desert will attract water into the areas.

3. First steps in a journey

1. Security
4. Ecology
5. Planning