Al Murunah Webinar on High-Resolution Climate Change Downscaling for Resilient Nature-Based Water Solutions in the MENA Region

dc.title: Al Murunah Webinar on High-Resolution Climate Change Downscaling for Resilient Nature-Based Water Solutions in the MENA Region
dc.contributor.author: Abeyrathna, Wasudha Prabodhani; Fragaszy, Stephen Russell; Samarasekara, Vidhisha
dcterms.abstract: The Al Murunah project seeks to improve water security in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) by integrating nature-based solutions for water and agricultural water management strategies (Resilient Nature-Based Water Solutions, RNBWS). The “High-Resolution Climate Change Downscaling for Resilient Nature-Based Water Solutions in the MENA Region” webinar showcased the Al Murunah Project’s groundbreaking findings and insights that can shape the future of sustainable water management in the region.

The webinar’s aims were to: 1) disseminate technical findings from high-resolution, bias-corrected climate change downscaling activities (full report and data available here) and 2) describe how they are being used in the Al Murunah pilot projects and can be used more widely. It focused on how data-driven insights are informing the planning and implementation of resilient nature-based water solutions (RNBWS) demonstration projects in the four pilot basins of Abu Al-Matamir (Egypt), Wadi Seer (Jordan), Ras Baalbeck Basin (Lebanon) and Wadi Al-Faria’a (OPT).

The webinar highlighted the need for localized, high-resolution (temporal and spatial) climate data to address the MENA region’s unique challenges. The study data is instrumental not only for sustainable water management but also for driving broader climate resilience initiatives rooted in community engagement. A key highlight of the webinar was the presentation of the Bias-Corrected Statistical Disaggregation (BCSD) method, a cutting-edge approach for generating precise and more accurate climate projections. The model outputs explain the rising intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and droughts, underscore the need for proactive planning and interventions.

The importance of partnerships in turning these findings into actionable solutions was also underscored. Local communities play a central role in the project, with their insights ensuring that interventions are context-specific and sustainable, while gender inclusion and diverse stakeholder consultations are critical for equitable outcomes, particularly in addressing the needs of vulnerable populations.