IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i20p14674-d1256630.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management Considering Climate Change in the Case of Saudi Arabia

Author

Listed:
  • Abdullah Alodah

    (Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Qassim University, Qassim, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

Saudi Arabia is one of the most water-scarce nations in the world, with a huge demand-supply gap, and the situation is expected to worsen due to climate change. Conventional surface water resources are limited, while nonrenewable groundwater sources are depleted. To build a more resilient and sustainable water sector, the production of non-conventional water resources, specifically desalinated seawater and treated domestic wastewater, has steadily increased in recent years. As the country lacks perennial water resources, such as rivers or water bodies, it relies mainly on nonrenewable groundwater and desalinated water to meet its daily requirements. Although the government is attempting to regulate the agricultural sector, water consumption in agriculture remains relatively high. It presents an environmental challenge due to its heavy reliance on non-renewable groundwater resources. The anticipated increase in temperature and highly uncertain changes in the rainfall patterns in Saudi Arabia could lead to greater uncertainty when attempting to develop effective water resource management plans. In this work, we review the status of the present and future of water resources and the challenges local authorities face in managing water resources amidst a changing climate in Saudi Arabia. This study employed a narrative research methodology, utilizing various databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct, to extract relevant articles within the subject area. This study proposes a number of recommendations and conclusions aimed at improving decision-makers’ ability to adapt to and mitigate the anticipated adverse impacts of climate change to manage scarce water resources sustainably.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdullah Alodah, 2023. "Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management Considering Climate Change in the Case of Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-29, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:20:p:14674-:d:1256630
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/20/14674/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/20/14674/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maestre-Valero, J.F. & Martínez-Alvarez, V. & Nicolas, E., 2013. "Physical, chemical and microbiological effects of suspended shade cloth covers on stored water for irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 70-78.
    2. Cao, Xinchun & Bao, Yutong & Li, Yueyao & Li, Jianni & Wu, Mengyang, 2023. "Unravelling the effects of crop blue, green and grey virtual water flows on regional agricultural water footprint and scarcity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    3. Wolfgang Cramer & Joël Guiot & Marianela Fader & Joaquim Garrabou & Jean-Pierre Gattuso & Ana Iglesias & Manfred A. Lange & Piero Lionello & Maria Carmen Llasat & Shlomit Paz & Josep Peñuelas & Maria , 2018. "Climate change and interconnected risks to sustainable development in the Mediterranean," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(11), pages 972-980, November.
    4. Salih Muhammad Awadh & Heba Al-Mimar & Zaher Mundher Yaseen, 2021. "Groundwater availability and water demand sustainability over the upper mega aquifers of Arabian Peninsula and west region of Iraq," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 1-21, January.
    5. Bassem Jamoussi & Asad Abu-Rizaiza & Ali AL-Haij, 2022. "Sustainable Building Standards, Codes and Certification Systems: The Status Quo and Future Directions in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-24, August.
    6. Bader Alhafi Alotaibi & Mirza Barjees Baig & Mohamed M. M. Najim & Ashfaq Ahmad Shah & Yosef A. Alamri, 2023. "Water Scarcity Management to Ensure Food Scarcity through Sustainable Water Resources Management in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-16, July.
    7. Asadabadi, Ali & Miller-Hooks, Elise, 2017. "Assessing strategies for protecting transportation infrastructure from an uncertain climate future," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 27-41.
    8. Taleb, Hanan M. & Sharples, Steve, 2011. "Developing sustainable residential buildings in Saudi Arabia: A case study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 383-391, January.
    9. Gazzeh, Karim & Abubakar, Ismaila Rimi, 2018. "Regional disparity in access to basic public services in Saudi Arabia: A sustainability challenge," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 70-80.
    10. Maestre-Valero, J.F. & Martínez-Alvarez, V. & Gallego-Elvira, B. & Pittaway, P., 2011. "Effects of a suspended shade cloth cover on water quality of an agricultural reservoir for irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 100(1), pages 70-75.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Exley, G. & Hernandez, R.R. & Page, T. & Chipps, M. & Gambro, S. & Hersey, M. & Lake, R. & Zoannou, K.-S. & Armstrong, A., 2021. "Scientific and stakeholder evidence-based assessment: Ecosystem response to floating solar photovoltaics and implications for sustainability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    2. Carvajal, F. & Agüera, F. & Sánchez-Hermosilla, J., 2014. "Water balance in artificial on-farm agricultural water reservoirs for the irrigation of intensive greenhouse crops," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 146-155.
    3. Nasser Jameel Al-Shamayleh, 2024. "The Ten-Year Guarantee of the Contractor and the Engineer on Ensuring the Durability of the Building in the System of Applying the Saudi Building Code: A Comparative Study," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 13, March.
    4. D. Santillán & L. Garrote & A. Iglesias & V. Sotes, 2020. "Climate change risks and adaptation: new indicators for Mediterranean viticulture," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 881-899, May.
    5. David Hidalgo García, 2023. "Evaluation and Analysis of the Effectiveness of the Main Mitigation Measures against Surface Urban Heat Islands in Different Local Climate Zones through Remote Sensing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-23, July.
    6. Morán-Ordóñez, Alejandra & Ameztegui, Aitor & De Cáceres, Miquel & de-Miguel, Sergio & Lefèvre, François & Brotons, Lluís & Coll, Lluís, 2020. "Future trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services in Mediterranean forests under global change scenarios," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    7. Alyami, Saleh. H. & Rezgui, Yacine & Kwan, Alan, 2013. "Developing sustainable building assessment scheme for Saudi Arabia: Delphi consultation approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 43-54.
    8. Heider, Katharina & Quaranta, Emanuele & García Avilés, José María & Rodriguez Lopez, Juan Miguel & Balbo, Andrea L. & Scheffran, Jürgen, 2022. "Reinventing the wheel – The preservation and potential of traditional water wheels in the terraced irrigated landscapes of the Ricote Valley, southeast Spain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    9. Mohammad S. M. Almulhim & Dexter V. L. Hunt & Chris D. F. Rogers, 2020. "A Resilience and Environmentally Sustainable Assessment Framework (RESAF) for Domestic Building Materials in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-24, April.
    10. Vasileios A. Tzanakakis & Andrea G. Capodaglio & Andreas N. Angelakis, 2023. "Insights into Global Water Reuse Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-30, August.
    11. Siakou, M. & Bruggeman, A. & Eliades, M. & Zoumides, C. & Djuma, H. & Kyriacou, M.C. & Emmanouilidou, M.G. & Spyros, A. & Manolopoulou, E. & Moriana, A., 2021. "Effects of deficit irrigation on ‘Koroneiki’ olive tree growth, physiology and olive oil quality at different harvest dates," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    12. Anupama Shantharaju & Md Aminul Islam & Jarrod M. Kath & Shahbaz Mushtaq & Arun Muniyappa & Lila Singh-Peterson, 2024. "Understanding Constraints and Enablers of Climate Risk Management Strategies: Evidence from Smallholder Dairy Farmers in Regional South India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-19, February.
    13. Papakonstantinou, Ilia & Lee, Jinwoo & Madanat, Samer Michel, 2019. "Game theoretic approaches for highway infrastructure protection against sea level rise: Co-opetition among multiple players," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 21-37.
    14. Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf & Alfred J. Kalyanapu & Eun-Sung Chung, 2017. "Sustainability-Based Flood Hazard Mapping of the Swannanoa River Watershed," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, September.
    15. Andreas N. Angelakis & Mohammad Valipour & Abdelkader T. Ahmed & Vasileios Tzanakakis & Nikolaos V. Paranychianakis & Jens Krasilnikoff & Renato Drusiani & Larry Mays & Fatma El Gohary & Demetris Kout, 2021. "Water Conflicts: From Ancient to Modern Times and in the Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-31, April.
    16. Antonelli, Marta & Basile, Linda & Gagliardi, Francesca & Isernia, Pierangelo, 2022. "The future of the Mediterranean agri-food systems: Trends and perspectives from a Delphi survey," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    17. Aina Maimó-Far & Alexis Tantet & Víctor Homar & Philippe Drobinski, 2020. "Predictable and Unpredictable Climate Variability Impacts on Optimal Renewable Energy Mixes: The Example of Spain," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-25, October.
    18. Yanting Zheng & Jing He & Wenxiang Zhang & Aifeng Lv, 2023. "Assessing Water Security and Coupling Coordination in the Lancang–Mekong River Basin for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-20, December.
    19. El Bilali, Ali & Taghi, Youssef & Briouel, Omar & Taleb, Abdeslam & Brouziyne, Youssef, 2022. "A framework based on high-resolution imagery datasets and MCS for forecasting evaporation loss from small reservoirs in groundwater-based agriculture," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    20. Susana Toboso‐Chavero & Gara Villalba & Xavier Gabarrell Durany & Cristina Madrid‐López, 2021. "More than the sum of the parts: System analysis of the usability of roofs in housing estates," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(5), pages 1284-1299, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:20:p:14674-:d:1256630. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.