In 1960, the United Arab of Emirates had about 90,000 people. Today, it has 100 times as many. That wouldn’t have happened purely because someone found oil in the desert. The country’s residents need water, and a lot of it.
Oil has helped, of course. It has allowed the country to build large, expensive, and energy-intensive desalination plants. Such is the UAE’s love for water that it now lists among the world’s highest consumers of water, at about 600 liters per day per person.
Today (Jan. 15), at the launch of the 2018 International Water Summit in Abu Dhabi, the country took a big, bold step to ensure water security for its residents. The Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority unveiled the world’s largest reserve of artificially desalinated water.