Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME), in cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Water and Irrigation, organized a one-day meeting on 18 March 2004 in Jordan to address the economics of sustainable management and development of the Dead Sea Basin.

Attended by government and NGO representatives from Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the meeting found that the three governments do not share a common vision on the future of the Dead Sea Basin, neither from a political nor a sustainable development perspective. Participants agreed that preparations for a regional integrated development plan for the basin are urgently required, and that a mission of experts from the World Heritage Center to the region is needed to assist in proposing a Dead Sea Basin listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Civil society and regional NGOs were recognized as essential for helping formulate a common vision for sustainable development of the Dead Sea Basin.
In addition, the conference presented two new research papers – one dealing with lessons for the Dead Sea Basin from North America, and another presenting an economic analysis of different water users affecting the Dead Sea Basin. The economic research revealed for the first time that the economic benefits of current water use diverted from the Dead Sea were less than the economic damage incurred to the tourism industry and conservation values. For more information visit: http://www.foeme.org/main/deadsea.htm