SAVE THE
DEAD SEA

Lend your voice and demand action from government leaders.

Urgent

The dead sea
is dying

The iconic Dead Sea, a unique salt-lake, is the lowest point on the surface of the planet, but is dropping by more than 1 meter every year. The Dead Sea region is internationally known for its unique geological, biological, and cultural value.

The Dead Sea waters, rich in a wide variety of minerals, are famous for their therapeutic qualities and the wetlands surrounding the Sea are blessed with unique flora and fauna.

Nevertheless, the Dead Sea is drying up at an alarming rate.

Why?

The primary cause of the rapid disappearance of the Dead Sea is the diversion of fresh water (half by Israel and half by Syria and Jordan) from the Lower Jordan River and various tributaries that were the natural lifeblood of the Dead Sea.
The mineral extraction activities of the Dead Sea Works (Israel) and the Arab Potash Company (Jordan) operating at the southern end of the Dead Sea have also significantly contributed to the demise of the Dead Sea, with industrial solar evaporation ponds being responsible for 30-40% of the depletion of Dead Sea waters.

Since 1960, the Dead Sea has lost over 1/3 of its surface area, the sea level having dropped over 37 metres. It continues to drop by over 1 meter per year, causing land-subsidence sinkholes and other irreversible damages.

There is still hope, but public pressure
must be brought to bear on leaders now

We are urging action in 3 key areas:

UNESCO World
Heritage Site

The Dead Sea basin must be registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. World Heritage listing would not only require that the Israeli and Jordanian governments alter present unsustainable practices but the actual listing also promotes regional cooperation, Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian together as riparians in the basin.

Regional
Rehabilitaion Plan

A regional rehabilitation plan is needed to replace the water diverted today from the Jordan River. EcoPeace believes that out of the box thinking is here needed including further research on the use of treated wastewater and saline water as a means to help stabilize the Dead Sea

Public Trust
Obligation

On the Israeli side, the renewal of the concession for mineral extraction post 2030 is up for renewal. This is the opportunity for the Israeli government, led by the Environment Minister, to declare a public trust obligation on any company that would be awarded a new concession to extract Dead Sea minerals. 

Additional Information

Publications
Dead Sea Sinkholes and Subsidence Monitoring
EcoPeace's Vision for Stabilizing the Water Level of the Dead Sea
Desk Study on the Opportunities and Implications of Releasing Treated Effluent in the Lower Stretches of the Jordan River and Dead Sea
Expert opinion of Dr Hanermann on the duty of the mineral extraction industry to replace any water that they utilize through the evaporation process

Maps:

These maps were produced by EcoPeace. They can be freely republished provided that credit is given to EcoPeace. Please notify us of the use of the map and send us a copy of the publication.