Deep Dives
How much cropland does Syria actually have? At first glance, this may seem like a technical or academic question. In reality, it is a policy problem with real consequences. Governments, humanitarian agencies, and development partners rely on cropland estimates to assess food security risks, plan agricultural recovery, allocate water, and
Deep Dives
A 2025 UNU-INWEH report entitled “The Drought-Migration-Conflict Nexus: Was the Syrian Civil War Really Caused by Climate Change?” provides a comprehensive reexamination of the commonly held narrative linking Syria’s 2007-2009 drought to the 2011 uprising. Summary of UNU - INWEH Findings The study employs a mixed-methods approach (meteorological analysis,
Life in Flow
When I packed my bags couple of years ago, I thought I was only leaving home to study. I didn’t realize I was also stepping into a journey that would change me at the deepest level. A PhD sounds like an academic title, but when you do it far
Deep Dives
The Tigris–Euphrates isn’t just a river system; it’s a pressure map. Climate stress squeezes from above, politics pulls from the sides, and everyday life (drinking water, crops, and electricity) gets caught in the vise. This piece distills a multiscale assessment we prepared for Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
Life in Flow
The question lands like a small alarm with a smile: Who are you? Or where are you from? I’ve learned how quickly the answer can flip a room. There’s always a beat before I say it. A soft, private breath. Then I offer the word that has framed
Deep Dives
In a world where water scarcity looms large, did you know that the agriculture sector claims a staggering 72 percent of global freshwater withdrawals? It stands as the undisputed champion of water consumption, and with over 95 percent of our food relying on land production, the need for water is
Life in Flow
While writing this piece, I have been ascertaining through the treasure box of memories. I wondered what language can anticipate expressing a heart so full of excitement .. sadness … fear… excitement…and nostalgia. In 2019, landing at Barcelona Airport–El Prat (BCN), I started my two years Erasmus Mundus academic journey
On this blog, I explore critical environmental challenges; from transboundary water governance and food-security risk analysis to hydro-climatic resilience; grounded in research and real-world context
2025 did not move in straight lines. It moved the way rivers do; splitting, rejoining, carving new paths when the old ones no longer held. 2025 was a threshold year. The kind you only recognize afterward, when you realize something irreversible has happened. I finished my PhD. Not as a
01 January 2026 Today I pause. Not for the world, not for deadlines, not for anyone else; only for me. 2025 held so much. Uncertainty, hope, small victories, moments when I doubted myself, moments when I surprised myself. I carried responsibilities that no one fully saw. I fought for my
I have been asked many times why I write my own blog. Why I don’t limit myself to academic papers, project reports, or policy briefs. Why I choose to write publicly, and in my own voice, about water and environmental challenges in Syria. At first, I told myself it
When I packed my bags couple of years ago, I thought I was only leaving home to study. I didn’t realize I was also stepping into a journey that would change me at the deepest level. A PhD sounds like an academic title, but when you do it far
The Tigris–Euphrates isn’t just a river system; it’s a pressure map. Climate stress squeezes from above, politics pulls from the sides, and everyday life (drinking water, crops, and electricity) gets caught in the vise. This piece distills a multiscale assessment we prepared for Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
The question lands like a small alarm with a smile: Who are you? Or where are you from? I’ve learned how quickly the answer can flip a room. There’s always a beat before I say it. A soft, private breath. Then I offer the word that has framed
They say home is where the heart is. I’ve been trying to catch mine in the act, to see where it keeps slipping off to when I’m not looking. Some days it’s in a kitchen I no longer rent, humming above a gas stove that ticked like
Syria’s most decisive reconstruction battle won’t be fought on city streets, it will be won or lost at the kitchen sink. After a decade of conflict, earthquake damage and worsening droughts, the question is no longer whether to reform water governance, but how. Two big ideas dominate the
Syria’s water debate has reached a historic fork. One path calls for an independent national authority that finally untangles the clashing mandates of several ministries and scores of local councils involved in managing water. The other champions a Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus approach that forces every sector to put its
By the end of July 2024, the Blue Peace Middle East concluded its inaugural Youth Fellowship Programme (YFP), a ground breaking initiative that brought together bright minds from Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Türkiye. The goal was to foster sustainable development and peace through transboundary water cooperation. I had
In Jordan, agriculture faces numerous challenges, including water scarcity and harsh environmental conditions. Addressing these issues is crucial for the country’s food security and economic stability. HypoFarm in Jordan is leading the way with innovative solutions like hydroponics, demonstrating that sustainable agriculture is not only possible but also profitable.
Navigating the Waters: Understanding and Addressing Syria's Water Crisis For years, Syria has grappled with a deepening water crisis, a challenge exacerbated by ongoing conflict. As we mark World Water Day, it's crucial to shed light on the dire conditions faced by Syrians, who endure severe