Prihan GÖZÜM, Yasin YILDIRIM, Rabia YILDIRIM

ORTADOĞU’DA ÇEVRENİN KORUNMASINDA ULUSLARARASI ANTLAŞMALARIN ROLÜ: İBRAHİM ANTLAŞMALARININ ÖNEMİ

Ortadoğu çok eski zamanlardan beri dönemsel olarak çok sayıda ve çeşitli çatışmalara maruz kalmıştır. Çağlar boyunca bu çatışmalar ve sebepleri farklı açılardan incelenmiş ve çeşitli çözümler önerilmiştir. Ancak, şimdiye kadar sarf edilen çabalar sınırlı bir başarı elde etmiştir ki bugün dahi Büyük Ortadoğu’nun farklı köşelerinde pek çok çatışma halen devam etmektedir. Ayrıca bölge, uzun süredir çevre sorunları ve çevre kaynaklı politik çatışmalarla da boğuşmaktadır. Bu tür spesifik sorunlar ve çatışmalar her geçen gün daha da şiddetlenirken, çevrenin korunması konusundaki genel bilinç ve çevre adaleti ile çevre barışı gibi kavramlar da her geçen gün daha fazla önem kazanmaktadır. İsrail Devleti ile 4 Arap ülkesi arasında imzalanan İbrahim Antlaşmaları, bu farkındalığın ve arzunun en güncel ve somut yansımalarıdır. Antlaşmalar, taraflara ilişkilerini normalleştirmeleri için yeni bir fırsat yaratmış ve çevre ve su gibi hayati konularda işbirliği öngörerek tarafların zaten kırılgan olan ekolojik yapıyı korumalarına da olanak sağlamaktadır. Ayrıca, Antlaşmalar bölgede uzun süredir devam eden çevre kaynaklı diğer çatışmaların normalleştirilmesi için de somut bir örnek teşkil etmektedir. Sonuç olarak, bölgesel aktörler bu tür hukuki ve siyasi işbirliği süreçlerini başlatarak, birçok sosyal ve çevresel avantaj elde ederken, aynı zamanda buna çok ihtiyaç duyan bölgede bir dereceye kadar refah ve güvenlik de sağlayabilme imkanına kavuşmuşlardır.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

İbrahim Antlaşmaları, Ortadoğu, Çevresel İşbirliği, Hukuk

ROLES OF INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST: EXAMPLE OF THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS

Since time immemorial, the Middle East has periodically suffered numerous and various conflicts. Throughout the ages, these conflicts and their reasons have been analysed from different perspectives and varied resolutions have been offered. However, so far, efforts have had limited success and many conflicts remain. Moreover, the region has also been suffering from environmental problems and environment-related conflicts for a long time. Nevertheless, as such problems and conflicts are exacerbating, general awareness over the protection of environment and desire for environmental justice and peace is also increasing. The Abraham Accords, signed between the State of Israel and 4 Arab nations, are the most recent and solid reflections of this awareness and desire, as the Accords created a new chance for parties to normalize their relations, and allowed parties to protect fragile environment of the region by predicting cooperation on vital topics namely environment, and water. Moreover, the Accords set an example to normalize other strained relations and long-standing environment-related conflicts in the region. Eventually, by initiating such legal and political co-operation processes, regional actors can take many social and environmental advantages while ensuring a degree of prosperity and security at the same time in the region which desperately needs it.

Keywords:

Abraham Accords, Middle East, Environmental Cooperation, Law,

PDF

___

Abumoghli, I. and Goncalves, A. (2020). Environmental Challenges in the MENA Region. Date of Access: 03.04.2023, https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/31645;jsessionid=E00F390253F92FAFF43013760C43D140
Al-Delaimy, W.K. (2020). “Vulnerable Populations and Regions: Middle East as a Case Study”. Health of People, Health of Planet and Our Responsibility (in). (eds.) W.K. Al-Delaimy, V. Ramanathan, & M.S. Sorondo. Springer. 121-133.
Al Jazeera (2019) “Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed issues warning over Renaissance Dam”. Date of Access: 15.06.2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/22/ethiopias-abiy-ahmed-issues-warning-over-renaissance-dam
Al Jazeera English (2020a) “Pourquoi l'Egypte et l'Ethiopie guerre du Nil? | ici commencer”. Date of Access: 23.06.2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdizU0arrJ0
Al Jazeera English (2020b) “Trump says Egypt may 'blow up' Ethiopia Dam”. Date of Access: 14.06.2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFpXz-Xbse4
Al Jazeera English (2020c) “Ethiopia dam dispute: Concerns in Sudan's Blue Nile state”. Date of Access: 17.06.2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeqkUVF1bpc
Arı, T. (2012). Geçmişten Günümüze Orta Doğu: Siyaset, Savaş ve Diplomasi. Dora Yayınları.
Associated Press (2020) Kushner Joins Israelis on Landmark Visit to Morocco. Date of Access: 23.03.2023, https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/31645;jsessionid=E00F390253F92FAFF43013760C43D140
Bank Hapoalim (2020) ESG Report – 2020 Activities at Bank Hapoalim. Date of Access: 09.05.2023, https://www.bankhapoalim.com/sites/bnhpcom/files/media/PDFS/ESG%20Report_Poalim_2020-%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%92%D7%A9_2_0.pdf
Beinin, j. and Hajjar, L. (2014). “Palestine, Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Primer”, MERIP Working Paper, 1-16.
Belaïd, f. Elsayed, A. and OMRI. A. (2021). “Key Drivers of Renewable Energy Deployment in The MENA Region: Empirical Evidence Using Panel Quantile Regression”. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 57, 225-238.
Dahir, A.L. (2021) “United States Recognizes Morocco's Sovereignty Over Western Sahara”. American Journal of International Law 115: 318
Demircan, N. (2020). “The Jewish State Building and the Beginning of the Arab Israeli Conflict”. ULISA: Journal of International Studies, 4(2), 215-226.
De Waal, A. (2021) “Viewpoint: Why Ethiopia and Sudan have fallen out over al-Fashaga” BBC. Date of Access: 08.06.2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-55476831
DW News (2020) “Why can't Egypt and Ethiopia end the Nile dam dispute? | UNPACKED”. Date of Access: 08.05.2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tEtKqWRlt0
Eljechtimi, A. (2020) Morocco hosts Israeli envoys, Kushner to flesh out new relations. Reuters. Date of Access: 11.04.2023, https://www.reuters.com/article/morocco-israel-usa-int-idUSKBN28W0SX
Financial Times (2022) “US Removes Sudan from State Sponsor of Terror Blacklist”. Date of Access: 04.06.2023, https://www.ft.com/content/2e47e0ae-a3de-4cb5-ac36-91a3beb8f46d
Fisher, I. and Rochvarger, M. (2021) “Israel’s State-owned Water Company to Provide Consulting Services to Bahrain”. Haaretz. Date of Access: 16.06.2023, https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/2021-03-29/ty-article/.premium/israels-state-owned-water-company-to-provide-consulting-services-to-bahrain/0000017f-e8fd-df2c-a1ff-fefd55940000
Forgues, C. and Janardhan, N. (2021) “Abraham Accords: Legal Interpretation and Scope for Collaboration with Asia”. EDA Insight Research & Analysis Report. 4 (5)
Israeli Ministry of Regional Cooperation (2022) The economic ties between Israel and Morocco are growing stronger. Date of Access: 06.06.2023, https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/morocco240322
Ju’ub, G. A. and Azzam, R. (2002, 25-26 November). “Water Conflicts in the Middle East”. Presented in the symposium: Water of the Near East and North Africa: Resources, Protection and Management. Frankfurt/Germany.
International Committee of the Red Cross. (2021). Date of Access: 09.04.2023, https://www.climatecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/RCCC-ICRC-Country-profiles-Region_Middle_East.pdf
Kelley, C. P. Mohtadi, S. Cane, M. A. Seager, R. and Kushnir. Y. (2015). “Climate change in the Fertile Crescent and implications of the recent Syrian Drought”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112(11), 3241-3246.
Kiser, S. D. (2000). “Water: The Hydraulic Parameter of Conflict in the Middle East and North Africa”, USAF Institute for National Security Studies Occasional Papers, Colorado. Leichman, A.K. (2021) ‘Israeli, Moroccan Scholars to Study Food, Water, Culture’, ISRAEL21c, Date of Access: 12.04.2023, https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-moroccan-scholars-to-study-food-water-culture/
O’Connor, J. F. (1992) “Good Faith in International Law”. International & Comparative Law Quarterly, 41: 484
Reuters (2022) “Israel Electric, UAE’ Energroup to Partner on Hydrogen Generation”. Date of Access: 21.05.2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-electric-uaes-energroup-partner-hydrogen-generation-2022-03-06/
Robinson, N. and Feely, E. (2022) “Abraham Accords Pave Way for Previously Unthinkable Arab-Israeli Défense Cooperation” Heritage, Date of Access: 11.04.2023, https://www.heritage.org/middle-east/commentary/abraham-accords-pave-way-previously-unthinkable-arab-israeli-defense
Schaar, J. (2022). What the World Can Do about the Middle East’s Coming Environmental Crisis’, The Century Foundation Report 2020, Date of Access: 04.04.2021, , https://tcf.org/content/report/world-can-middle-easts-coming-environmental-crisis/?session=1
Selim, A. (2020). The MENA Region’s Water Crisis: Avoiding Potential Water Wars. Date of Access: 26.04.2022, https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/mena-regions-water-crisis-avoiding-potential-water-wars
Sahin, G. and Guzel, S. (2021). “New Expansions in Middle East Security and the Abraham Accord”. Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Journal of Social Sciences Institute, 34, 15-28.
Shaw, N. M. (2017). International Law. Cambridge University Press.
Tenembaum, Y. J. G. (2019). “The Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty at 40”. Date of Access: 27.03.2021, https://www.jpost.com/opinion/the-egypt-israel-peace-treaty-at-40-583117
Tessema, S. (2021) “Egypt working to destabilize Ethiopia, East Africa”, Anadolu Agency, Date of Access: 16.06.2023, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/egypt-working-to-destabilize-ethiopia-east-africa/2120191
The National Library Of King Hussein (2023). Date of Access: 20.03.2022, http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/peacetreaty.html
The Times of Israel (2021, January 6) Sudan Signs ‘Abraham Accords’ with US, Paving Way For Israel Normalization. Date of Access: 27.03.2022, https://www.timesofisrael.com/sudan-signs-abraham-accords-with-us-paving-way-for-israel-normalization/
The Times of Israel (2021, November 22) Israel, Jordan Sign huge UAE-brokered deal to swap solar energy and water. Date of Access: 16.03.2023, https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-jordan-sign-uae-brokered-deal-to-swap-solar-energy-and-water/
United States of America Department of State, The Abraham Accords Declaration, Date of Access: 24.03.2022, https://www.state.gov/the-abraham-accords/
Vohra, A (2021) “Water-for-Energy Is Better Than Land-for-Peace”, Foreign Policy, Date of Access: 12.04.2023,, https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/12/16/water-for-energy-is-better-than-land-for-peace/
Waha, K., Krummenauer, L., Adams, S., Aich, V., Baarsch, F., Coumou, D. and Schleussner, C.F. (2017). Climate Change Impacts in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) Region and Their Implications for Vulnerable Population Groups. Regional Environmental Change, 17, 1623-1638.
Water Technology (2023) “Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project, Benishangul-Gumuz”. Date of Access: 09.06.2023, https://www.water-technology.net/projects/grand-ethiopian-renaissance-dam-africa/
Yilmaz, H. I. (2016). Geo-Economic Importance of the Middle East and Economic Reasons of the USA Policy in the Middle East. TESAM Akademi Dergisi, 3(1), 99-128.
Zaken, D. (2022) “Israel, UAE to cooperate on clean hydroelectricity” Al-Monitor. Date of Access: 05.06.2023, https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/03/israel-uae-cooperate-clean-hydroelectricity