The 2022 ROPME Policy Brief addresses the impacts of climate change on desalination plants and industrial cooling water systems in the ROPME Sea Area, which includes eight member states. It highlights the region’s critical dependence on desalination, with over 1,400 plants producing more than 25 million cubic meters per day, expected to rise significantly by 2050.
The brief identifies major climate risks, including rising sea temperatures and salinity, harmful algal blooms, jellyfish outbreaks, coastal erosion, and extreme weather events. These factors reduce operational efficiency, damage infrastructure, and disrupt water intake systems. Reverse osmosis plants are particularly vulnerable to water quality changes and biological fouling.
It emphasizes that the Inner ROPME Sea Area is most exposed to temperature and salinity increases, while the Middle and Outer areas are more affected by algal and jellyfish blooms. Climate projections indicate notable increases in sea temperature and salinity by the 2040s, compounded by desalination discharges.
To address these risks, the brief proposes adaptation measures at plant, national, and regional levels. These include improving intake design and location, upgrading filtration and membrane systems, developing early warning systems for algal and jellyfish blooms, and requiring climate risk assessments. Strengthening resilience through coordinated regional action is essential to ensure sustainable water and energy security in the face of climate change.
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2022
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2022
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Coastal ecotourism
This publication issued by the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME), as part of Marine Environment Series (5), addresses Coastal Ecotourism on the occasion of Regional Environment Day (24 April 2015). It highlights ecotourism as a key instrument for sustainable development and coastal environmental protection. The newsletter emphasizes that coastlines are
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Coral Climate Change Adaptation
The ROPME Policy Brief (2022) on Coral Climate Change Adaptation examines the severe decline of coral reefs in the ROPME Sea Area (RSA) due to combined pressures from climate change and human activities. The region hosts over 2,000 km² of coral reefs, supporting rich biodiversity and providing significant socio-economic benefits, including fisheries and tourism. Climate
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Encroachment on beaches and its impact on the safety of the coastal environment
This publication, part of the Marine Environment Series (No. 11) issued by the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME), addresses the issue of coastal encroachment and its impact on the integrity of the coastal environment. It highlights the ecological and economic significance of beaches as dynamic ecosystems rich in biodiversity, essential
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Green economy
This publication addresses the concept of the green economy as a key modern approach in environmental and development thinking. The term emerged prominently through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2008 and was globally recognized as a central pillar of sustainable development, particularly during the Rio+20 Conference. A green economy is defined as an
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Guidelines for the Preparation of National Report on the State of the Marine Environment
The document titled “Guidelines for the Preparation of National Report on the State of the Marine Environment” (ROPME, 2007) provides a structured framework for Member States to prepare national reports that contribute to the regional State of the Marine Environment Report (SOMER). Developed in collaboration with UNEP and aligned with the GEO (Global Environment Outlook)
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Mangrove Trees
This special publication, issued on the occasion of Regional Environment Day (April 24, 2012), highlights the significance of mangrove trees as one of the most vital and productive coastal ecosystems. It provides a comprehensive overview of their environmental, historical, scientific, and economic importance, with particular focus on their status within the Regional Organization for the
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Marine Environment Series: Marine Pollution from Offshore (sea-based) sources
This special publication from the Marine Environment Series (2020) addresses marine pollution from offshore (sea-based) sources, focusing on the marine environment within the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) area and the growing environmental challenges driven by human activities, particularly those linked to oil, shipping, and industrial development. The ROPME marine
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Marine Fisheries to the Impacts of Climate Change
This policy brief by the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) addresses the adaptation of marine fisheries to the impacts of climate change within a regional framework covering the eight member states bordering the ROPME Sea Area, which is divided into three sub-regions: a shallow semi-enclosed inner zone, a transitional middle
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Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Solutions in the ROPME Sea Area
The eighth issue of the Marine Environment Series published by the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) addresses marine pollution caused by plastic waste as one of the most critical environmental challenges facing the world’s oceans, including the ROPME Sea Area. The report emphasizes that plastic pollution is more persistent and,
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MOOPAM (2010)
A revised edition for the guide to the fieldsurveys, sampling and analytical methods to beused by the participating institutions forimplementation of the Monitoring and ResearchProgramme for analyses of oceanographicparameters and oil and non-oil pollutants in theROPME Sea Area. In this revised edition of MOOPAM severalconsiderations were taken into account, i.e. thedevelopment of analytical capabilities in
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Offshore Environment of the ROPME Sea Area after the War-Related Oil Spill: Results of the 1993–94 Umitaka-Maru Cruises
The publication “Offshore Environment of the ROPME Sea Area after the War-Related Oil Spill: Results of the 1993–94 Umitaka-Maru Cruises” presents a comprehensive scientific assessment of the marine environment in the ROPME Sea Area (RSA) following the environmental catastrophe caused by the 1990–1991 Gulf War oil spill. The RSA, bordered by eight countries (Bahrain, Iran,
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Overview on Land-based Sources and Activities Affecting the Marine Environment in the ROPME Sea Area
A comprehensive overview of land-based sources and activities affecting the marine, coastal and associated freshwater environments in the ROPME Sea Area, including the status of activities dealing with the protection of those environments from land-based sources. This work is based on a review of the relevant information and activities of the individual countries making up
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Coastal ecotourism
This publication issued by the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME), as part of Marine Environment Series (5), addresses Coastal Ecotourism on the occasion of Regional Environment Day (24 April 2015). It highlights ecotourism as a key instrument for sustainable development and coastal environmental protection. The newsletter emphasizes that coastlines are
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The Guidelines for Joint and/or Combined Effluent Treatment for the ROPME Region (2005)
The Guidelines for Joint and/or Combined Effluent Treatment for the ROPME Region (2005), developed by the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME), provide a comprehensive framework for managing industrial and municipal wastewater in the ROPME Sea Area (RSA). The RSA’s semi-enclosed nature makes it particularly vulnerable to pollution, as contaminants tend to
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Coral Climate Change Adaptation
The ROPME Policy Brief (2022) on Coral Climate Change Adaptation examines the severe decline of coral reefs in the ROPME Sea Area (RSA) due to combined pressures from climate change and human activities. The region hosts over 2,000 km² of coral reefs, supporting rich biodiversity and providing significant socio-economic benefits, including fisheries and tourism. Climate
-
Marine Environment Series: Marine Pollution from Offshore (sea-based) sources
This special publication from the Marine Environment Series (2020) addresses marine pollution from offshore (sea-based) sources, focusing on the marine environment within the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) area and the growing environmental challenges driven by human activities, particularly those linked to oil, shipping, and industrial development. The ROPME marine
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Marine Fisheries to the Impacts of Climate Change
This policy brief by the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) addresses the adaptation of marine fisheries to the impacts of climate change within a regional framework covering the eight member states bordering the ROPME Sea Area, which is divided into three sub-regions: a shallow semi-enclosed inner zone, a transitional middle
-
Mangrove Trees
This special publication, issued on the occasion of Regional Environment Day (April 24, 2012), highlights the significance of mangrove trees as one of the most vital and productive coastal ecosystems. It provides a comprehensive overview of their environmental, historical, scientific, and economic importance, with particular focus on their status within the Regional Organization for the
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The ROPME Policy Brief on Blue Carbon in the ROPME Sea Area
The ROPME Policy Brief on Blue Carbon in the ROPME Sea Area highlights the critical role of marine and coastal ecosystems in climate change mitigation. Blue carbon refers to the carbon captured and stored in ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, which are highly efficient at sequestering carbon dioxide and storing it over
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Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Solutions in the ROPME Sea Area
The eighth issue of the Marine Environment Series published by the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) addresses marine pollution caused by plastic waste as one of the most critical environmental challenges facing the world’s oceans, including the ROPME Sea Area. The report emphasizes that plastic pollution is more persistent and,