Jordan pushes for a greener future
Several goverement ministries and public agencies in the country are shifting to solar power. The Ministry of Water and Irrigation’s headquarters started running on solar power in 2015, reducing its monthly electricity bill by 40%. The Ministry of Agriculture’s headquarters is due to switch to solar power later this year, encouraging others to explore renewable energy in a bid to ultimately reduce the Kingdom’s energy bill. The ministry is also switching to renewable energy in several of its projects, indicating that power consumption will drastically drop once the solar panels project becomes operational.
Clean energy, vegetables and freshwater produced in the desert. An innovative facility set to open in the Aqaba desert, features saltwater-cooled greenhouses for the production of high-quality vegetables. Photovoltaic solar panels will provide power while a desalination unit will produce 10.000 litres of freshwater per day. Vapour generated from the greenhouses is used to humidify surrounding patches of parched land so plants can grow. Joakim Hauge, chief executive of the the Norwegian and EU-funded Sahara Forest Project supporting the initiative, has commented: “Harnessing abundant resources to generate scarce ones will be key to feeding a growing global population - without damaging the environment or accelerating climate change - we believe that this is part of the agriculture of tomorrow”.
Jordan recently launched the National Green Growth Plan. The plan focuses on energy, water, waste, transportation, tourism and agriculture, to lessen dependence on fuel imports and create jobs. It aims to tap into natural resources and improve a sluggish 2.3% projected economic growth for 2017. The recently published economic growth plan for the country has a target of doubling the rate of economic growth during the period 2018-2022. Climate action is an important part of a sustainable solution to addressing Jordan’s economic and climate vulnerabilities. Jordan’s Vision 2025, the National Green Growth Plan and the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) on Climate Change outline such a pathway towards low-carbon economic transformation.
Resources: Global Green Growth Institute Fact Sheet | National Green Growth Plan for Jordan | Jordan Economic Monitor by World Bank
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