STORY: Syria faces severe water shortage, desertification, warn officials
SHOOTING TIME: June 17, 2024
DATELINE: June 18, 2024
LENGTH: 0:02:39
LOCATION: Damascus
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the desertification spread in the eastern region of Syria
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MUHAMMAD MANHAL AL-ZOUBI, Director of Syria's Natural Resources Research Administration
3. various of the desertification spread in the eastern region of Syria
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): MOHAMMED ABU HAMOUD, Director of Syria's Drought and Natural Disaster Relief Fund
5. various of farms in the eastern region of Syria
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): MOHAMMED ABU HAMOUD, Director of Syria's Drought and Natural Disaster Relief Fund

STORYLINE:

Syria is currently experiencing widespread desertification due to climate change and civil unrest, said Muhammad Manhal Al-Zoubi, director of the country's Natural Resources Research Administration in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Al-Zoubi said the absence of vegetation cover, deterioration of the desert, and forest fires have all contributed to the expansion of desertification in Syria, subsequently leading to a major water shortage.

Syria has seven water basins, most of which, except for the coastal basin, suffer from water scarcity, said the official.

Al-Zoubi also highlighted the negative impact of civil instability on the country's irrigation systems, forests, and protected areas. He also proposed several steps to mitigate the repercussions of climate and environmental challenges.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MUHAMMAD MANHAL AL-ZOUBI, Director of Syria's Natural Resources Research Administration
"The greatest harm is from the crisis and the impact of the crisis. There are many ways to adapt to this climate change. For example, we can introduce good agricultural practices, store rainwater, and apply improved agricultural methods. Armed groups have destroyed most of the irrigation systems in Syria, especially the large and massive irrigation systems, particularly in places like the Euphrates Basin. This has played a major role in removing vegetation cover and desertification."

Syria's resources have been "stolen" and infrastructure was destroyed, while the country encountered "unjust" Western economic sanctions, Mohammed Abu Hamoud, director of the Drought and Natural Disaster Relief Fund, told Xinhua.

Abu Hamoud described the sanctions, especially those imposed by the United States, as one of the "worst weapons any country can use."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): MOHAMMED ABU HAMOUD, Director of Syria's Drought and Natural Disaster Relief Fund
"Economic siege imposed? This is one of the worst weapons that any country can use, and it goes against all international laws and norms. Imposing a siege on a country's resources and capabilities, whether through occupying part of its lands in the eastern region or controlling oil resources and energy carriers necessary for any agricultural process that we are in dire need of."

Abu Hamoud stressed the importance of developing a flexible plan to utilize available resources effectively and achieve self-sufficiency amidst the challenges of climate change and sanctions.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): MOHAMMED ABU HAMOUD, Director of Syria's Drought and Natural Disaster Relief Fund
"Through research, the ministry has decided to develop a flexible plan to use available and natural resources with minimal loss, under proper management of these resources, to achieve the best product that adapts to climate change and aligns with sanctions. This is how we can reach a stage of achieving self-sufficiency once again."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Damascus.
(XHTV)