Report on Environmental Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development in the Gaza Strip

1.0 Introduction: A Confluence of Crises Hindering Sustainable Development

The Gaza Strip represents a critical intersection of political conflict and extreme climate vulnerability, severely impeding progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The current humanitarian emergency is fundamentally a crisis of basic services, most notably concerning SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. A joint 2024 report from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and the Palestinian Water Authority highlights that 97% of the water from the coastal aquifer is unfit for consumption by World Health Organization standards. This forces a reliance on minimal and often unsafe water sources.

This situation is exacerbated by the escalating impacts of climate change, directly threatening SDG 13: Climate Action. Scientific projections warn of “super- and ultra-extreme” heatwaves in the region, which, combined with acute water scarcity, creates a volatile climate-security nexus that undermines regional stability and prospects for SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

2.0 A Proposed Solution: The “Peace Triangle” Initiative

In response to this multifaceted crisis, the environmental organization EcoPeace Middle East has proposed the “Peace Triangle” project. This initiative, championed by Palestinian environmentalist Nada Majdalani, aims to leverage cross-border infrastructure development as a tool for environmental peacebuilding and to advance multiple SDGs. The project is built on a strategic partnership that addresses core regional needs.

2.1 Core Components of the Initiative

• Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6): Construction of a 200-million-cubic-metre-per-year desalination plant on Gaza’s coast to provide safe drinking water.
• Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7): Development of large-scale solar power infrastructure in Jordan to supply clean electricity to the region, including the desalination plant.
• Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9): Establishment of an electrified freight corridor to promote sustainable trade and economic integration.

3.0 Strategic Rationale for Locating the Project in Gaza

The project reframes Gaza’s geographic and humanitarian context as a strategic asset for achieving sustainable development outcomes.

• Resource Availability for SDG 6: Gaza’s extensive coastline provides unlimited access to seawater, the essential raw material for large-scale desalination.
• Potential for SDG 7: The region’s high solar insolation (over 2,000 kWh/m²) presents a significant opportunity for developing affordable and clean energy, contingent on grid reinforcement.
• Catalyst for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The acute humanitarian need in Gaza can galvanize global support and attract the concessional financing required for a project of this scale.

The proposed facility would not only meet Gaza’s domestic water needs but could also export surplus water to Jordan, transforming Gaza into a key contributor to regional water security.

4.0 The Water-for-Energy Mechanism: Fostering Interdependence

The “Peace Triangle” operates on a circular trade model designed to build mutual reliance and deter conflict, directly supporting SDG 16.

1. Infrastructure for SDG 6 and 7: Gaza’s Central Desalination Plant (GCDP) will be powered by clean energy, initially from imported electricity and later from dedicated Jordanian solar farms.
2. Cross-Border Water Supply: After meeting Gaza’s domestic demand (approx. 120 MCM), the desalinated water will be piped to water-scarce Jordan.
3. Regional Energy Trade: Jordan will sell clean electricity generated from its solar fields to both Israel and the Palestinian territories, creating a closed-loop system where each party is both a provider and a recipient.

This interdependence creates a powerful disincentive for any party to disrupt the system, as doing so would jeopardize its own access to essential resources.

5.0 Projected Contributions to Sustainable Development Goals in Gaza

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) & SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The plant would provide a per-capita water supply exceeding the WHO’s 100-litre/day standard, drastically reducing the incidence of water-borne diseases.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) & SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure): The project’s construction phase would create skilled jobs and inject capital. In the long term, reliable access to affordable water and energy would underpin the revival of agriculture and industry.
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) & SDG 13 (Climate Action): By creating a guaranteed market for Jordanian solar power, the project incentivizes investment in grid upgrades and local renewable energy infrastructure, enhancing Gaza’s climate resilience.
• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): By becoming a net exporter of a critical resource like water, Gaza can alter its geopolitical narrative from dependency to partnership, giving its leadership a vested interest in regional stability.

6.0 Challenges and Risks to Implementation

Realizing this vision requires overcoming significant obstacles that threaten the project’s viability and its intended SDG outcomes.

• Security and Political Stability: A durable cease-fire and security guarantees are prerequisites for attracting investment and mobilizing engineering teams.
• Governance and Institutional Capacity (SDG 16): The project requires a capable and transparent Palestinian utility to manage operations and finances effectively.
• Energy Dependency (SDG 7): The desalination process is energy-intensive, making the plant’s operation vulnerable to disruptions in the electricity supply, which remains largely controlled by external actors.
• Financing Complexity (SDG 17): The project’s estimated cost of over US $1.5 billion necessitates a blended-finance model involving development banks, sovereign wealth funds, and philanthropic capital.
• Human Rights and Accountability: Robust guarantees are needed to ensure that water and power are never used as political leverage, a concern previously raised by human rights organizations.

7.0 A Phased Roadmap to Implementation

1. Establish Foundational Security: Secure a lasting cease-fire and formal guarantees of access and safety for personnel and materials.
2. Assemble a Financial Coalition (SDG 17): Structure a blended-finance trust, potentially led by the World Bank, to pool resources from public and private international partners.
3. Synchronize Infrastructure Development (SDG 9): Coordinate the construction of the desalination plant with the necessary upgrades to the high-voltage transmission lines from Jordan.
4. Institutionalize Oversight (SDG 16): Create a tri-national regulatory body with representation from civil society to ensure transparency, accountability, and equitable management of resources.

8.0 Conclusion: Pragmatic Interdependence as a Coolant for Conflict

The “Peace Triangle” proposal offers a pragmatic pathway toward addressing Gaza’s existential water crisis while simultaneously building a framework for regional cooperation. While it does not resolve core political issues, it directly tackles fundamental human needs outlined in the SDGs. By hard-wiring interdependence into critical infrastructure for water (SDG 6), energy (SDG 7), and peace (SDG 16), this model of environmental peacebuilding may offer the most viable strategy for fostering resilience and stability in a climate-stressed region.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed in the Article

The article discusses a complex, multi-faceted project that directly and indirectly addresses several Sustainable Development Goals. The core issues of water scarcity, energy needs, regional conflict, and climate vulnerability in Gaza are linked to the following SDGs:

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: This is the most prominent SDG, as the article’s central theme is the water crisis in Gaza and the proposed desalination plant to provide safe drinking water.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The project’s “water-for-energy swap” model, which involves using Jordanian solar power, directly connects to the goal of promoting renewable energy.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article highlights the project’s potential for economic stimulus through job creation during construction and by supporting agriculture and industry with a stable water supply.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The “Peace Triangle” is a large-scale, cross-border infrastructure project involving a desalination plant, an electrified freight corridor, and upgraded power grids.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The project is presented as a direct response to climate change impacts, specifically addressing the “climate vulnerability” of Gaza, which faces extreme heat and water scarcity.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: The article explicitly frames the project as “environmental peacebuilding,” aiming to create interdependence and cooperation to foster regional stability and prevent conflict.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The entire initiative is built on a multi-stakeholder partnership involving an NGO (EcoPeace), regional governments, and international financial institutions.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Based on the article’s content, several specific targets under the identified SDGs can be pinpointed:

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
  • Explanation: The article states that “97 percent of water pumped from the Strip’s coastal aquifer fails World Health Organization standards.” The proposed desalination plant aims to rectify this by lifting the “per-capita supply well above the World Health Organization’s 100 litre-per-day benchmark,” directly addressing the need for safe and accessible water.
• Target 6.a: By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including… desalination.
  • Explanation: The “Peace Triangle” is a textbook example of this target. It is a cross-border initiative involving Jordan and Palestine, facilitated by an NGO, and reliant on international finance to build a large-scale desalination plant.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
  • Explanation: The plan specifies that the desalination plant will be “powered first by imported electricity and later by Jordanian solar.” This water-for-energy swap directly increases the use of renewable energy in the region.
• Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
  • Explanation: The project involves a “circular trade” where Jordan sells clean electricity from its solar projects to the Palestinian territories. This requires investment in “upgraded transmission lines” and creates a cooperative framework for clean energy infrastructure.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support economic development and human well-being.
  • Explanation: The article describes the “Peace Triangle” as a “bundle of cross-border infrastructure deals that link large-scale Jordanian solar power, an electrified freight corridor, and… a 200-million-cubic-metre-per-year desalination plant.” This is a direct effort to build resilient infrastructure.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
  • Explanation: The article opens by describing Gaza as a place where “climate vulnerability collides head-on with political blockade” and warns of future “super- and ultra-extreme heatwaves.” The desalination plant is a key adaptation strategy to build resilience against climate-induced water scarcity.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
  • Explanation: The project is described as “environmental peacebuilding.” The circularity of the water-for-energy trade creates a “built-in deterrent to sabotage,” making it “harder—and costlier—for politicians to walk away than to keep cooperating,” thereby promoting regional stability.
• Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
  • Explanation: To ensure fairness and prevent corruption, the plan proposes a “tri-national water-energy regulator with civil-society seats reserved for Gazan NGOs—a hedge against elite capture and a transparency signal to donors.”

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
  • Explanation: The project’s success hinges on a complex partnership involving the civil society organization EcoPeace, public entities (governments of the region), and private/international finance from “Gulf sovereign funds, European development banks, and climate-focused philanthropies” in a “blended-finance trust.”

Indicators for Measuring Progress

The article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• Implied Indicator for Target 6.1: The proportion of the population with access to safely managed drinking water.
  • Measurement in Article: The article provides a clear baseline and a target. The baseline is that “97 percent of water… fails World Health Organization standards” and daily consumption is “as little as 3 to 15 litres.” The goal is to provide a supply “well above the World Health Organization’s 100 litre-per-day benchmark.” Progress can be measured by the percentage of water meeting WHO standards and the average daily per-capita water supply.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Implied Indicator for Target 7.2: The share of renewable energy in the total energy consumption for the project/region.
  • Measurement in Article: Progress can be measured by tracking the energy source for the desalination plant, with the goal of transitioning from “imported electricity” to “Jordanian solar.”

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Implied Indicator for Target 8.3: Number of jobs created.
  • Measurement in Article: The article states that “Construction injects capital and skilled jobs.” Progress could be measured by the number of direct and indirect jobs created through the project’s implementation.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Implied Indicator for Target 9.1: Capacity of water and energy infrastructure developed.
  • Measurement in Article: The article provides specific figures for the infrastructure: a desalination plant with a capacity of “up to 200 MCM annually” and the construction of “High-voltage lines from Jordan.” Progress can be measured by the operational capacity of this new infrastructure.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Implied Indicator for Target 17.17: Amount of financial commitment to the partnership.
  • Measurement in Article: The article specifies a “price tag north of US $1.5 billion” that needs to be secured through a “blended-finance trust.” Progress can be measured by the amount of capital raised from the various partners mentioned.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: vocal.media