Saving a Holy River

Image: A 2,000 year old Roman bridge over the Jordan River (photo by Brian Richter)

At this time of worship and celebration for many of the great cultures and religions around the globe, I’m reminded of my visit five years ago to the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. It is one of the world’s most important places of ecological and cultural heritage, and I wrote about the efforts to restore these beleaguered aquatic ecosystems in a blog for National Geographic entitled, “Can Desalination Help Save a Holy River?”

Sadly, with increasing pressure from overuse, climate change and drought in recent years, the challenges of restoring these remarkable aquatic ecosystems have only grown more difficult, and both the river and the Sea are withering.

At the dawn of a new year, hope springs eternal.  My heartfelt thanks to EcoPeace Middle East for their ongoing commitment and tireless efforts, and my best wishes for breakthroughs in coming years.