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GHOR HADITHA, Jordan (AFP) – The Dead Sea may soon shrink to a lifeless pond as Middle East political strife blocks vital measures needed to halt the decay of the world's lowest and saltiest body of water, experts say.

The surface level is plunging by a metre (three feet) a year and nothing has yet been done to reverse the decline because of a lack of political cooperation as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The shoreline has receded by more than a kilometre (around a mile) in some places and the world-famous lake, a key tourism destination renowned for the beneficial effect of its minerals, could dry out by 2050, according to some calculations.

"It might be confined into a small pond. It is likely to happen and this is extremely serious. Nobody is doing anything now to save it," said water expert Dureid Mahasneh, a former Jordan Valley Authority chief.

"Saving the Dead Sea is a regional issue, and if you take the heritage, environmental and historical importance, or even the geographical importance, it is an international issue."

Full story link: Dead Sea needs world help to stay alive - Yahoo! News

This is the place where most of the population would rather die than help their neighbours in any way whatsoever hoping that next door would die first so they could watch from their own deathbed an feebly cheer them on to oblivion. The best way to help the dead sea would to first depopulate the whole area and start again with fresh people........

FUBAR;1266491 wrote: This is the place where most of the population would rather die than help their neighbours in any way whatsoever hoping that next door would die first so they could watch from their own deathbed an feebly cheer them on to oblivion. The best way to help the dead sea would to first depopulate the whole area and start again with fresh people........


And where would you put the various populations that are currently in the area?

I never said move them just replace them. Maybe if we just ignored them a bit and let the area sink into its own mess a bit deeper they might try working together for once. Be a nice change for them rather than killing each other every chance they get. :-5:-5

FUBAR;1266495 wrote: I never said move them just replace them. Maybe if we just ignored them a bit and let the area sink into its own mess a bit deeper they might try working together for once. Be a nice change for them rather than killing each other every chance they get. :-5:-5


How can you replace them without moving them?

Bryn Mawr;1266497 wrote: How can you replace them without moving them?


Must admit I read FUBAR's "replace" comment as the sort of weary exasperation that anyone who looks at the issue for long feels, at least from time to time. An expression of frustration rather than deeply held belief. Could be wrong...

Let's be optimistic - maybe this is something that could start a genuinely co-operative seed...?



Ok I know, I know, but it is just possible...

Clodhopper;1266502 wrote: Must admit I read FUBAR's "replace" comment as the sort of weary exasperation that anyone who looks at the issue for long feels, at least from time to time. An expression of frustration rather than deeply held belief. Could be wrong...

Let's be optimistic - maybe this is something that could start a genuinely co-operative seed...?



Ok I know, I know, but it is just possible...


It's the interpretation of his first post I'm worried about - and I sincerely hope that I'm wrong.

I could have been clearer. I was talking about his whole response really. I've said similar things in moments of frustration. Sorry for any confusion.

Interesting to see if any organisation could pull the countries involved together on this issue. Something like World Heritage (is that part of the UN???) says he trying to think out of the box.

An underground pipeline from the Mediterranean would both fix the water level and provide power, it's been talked of for decades. Increasing the flow of fresh water along the Jordan river is out of the question, it's all disparately needed for agriculture and drinking. Even sharing that equitably seems impossible.

In the long term, tbh, it doesn't really matter anyway. Plate tectonics show that Africa is slowly drifting northwards and the Mediterranean is shrinking slowly each year. Eventually Africa will plough into Europe creating a subduction zone where one continent forces itself under the other and the forces of the two continents moving together will cause a huge mountain range to rise up. The Mediterranean Sea will disappear and will be replaced by the Mediterranean Mountains. Likewise, the Red and Black Sea will disappear and there will be a new continent called Afrasia.

You're talking millions of years there, the matter at hand is in terms of decades.

spot: Hadn't heard about the pipeline plan. The civil engineering would be amazing...

Rap: :wah:..and the sun will expand and engulf the boiling earth so why worry?

spot;1266532 wrote: You're talking millions of years there, the matter at hand is in terms of decades.


Lol! Yeah I know! :wah: It was kinda said 'tongue-in-cheek, cos the thought tickled me! :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

(Btw, it's about 50 million years to be more precise!) *big grin*

Clodhopper;1266543 wrote:

Rap: :wah:..and the sun will expand and engulf the boiling earth so why worry?


Lol! My point exactly sweetie . . . why worry?! :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:D

I like the pipeline plan. Of course the whole area is geologically as well as politically unstable. Why not use the Red Sea it's much closer. Oh and the best way of replacing a population is to use the Roman method(after all they were there anyway so it would be historically correct)---- make it horizontal and six feet under.:sneaky::sneaky:. Just joking I don't really have enough spare time though left alone to their own devices long enough I imagine one side or the other will do it eventually......:yh_ghost:yh_ghost