Desertec

Introduction

We all knwo that energy is a vital factor for our everyday life. We need it constantly- even when we sleep and when we remember 10 years ago we must admit that our comsume of electrical goods has augmented rapidly.

The increasing human wealth and growing world economy boost the demand of electricity all over the globe . This is what a plethora of studies in the last years found out.

But the source oft the great energy dilemma we are caught in is, that our traditional energysources are either scarce or environmentally distructive.

In the last decades electricity was not a topic of importance, because it was ostensible available and unlimited. But today the climate change, increasing energy prices and the technological progress have stimulated a dire need for alternative energy sources.

On the one hand the mindset of consumers have changed. Influenced by the media they put much more stock in the source of their electricity.

On the other hand the growing industrial sector asks for energy saving innovations to drive down production costs and to adhere to laws given by the governments.

So where can we find more clean and cheap energy to fulfill the industries and consumers need?

Solar generated electricity is said to be the cleenest and cheapest way on the long run because the sun- our engine of life- is a unrestrained source of energy.

Almost every nation already uses solar engergy. One reason for this ist the governmental restriction of CO"Emissions.

But we all know what is necessary to use solar cells. The Sun, or more exactly a exessive solar radiation. Where can we find this? Of course in the worlds deserts.

1.Folie: MENA

This quotation stems from Dr. Gerhard Knies

Dr. Gerhard Knies was the coordinator of TREC, the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation, a network of around 50 experts in renewable energies and sustainability. It is due to him, that this organisation later became the Desertec Foundation.

But before I describe you how desertec intends to use the worlds deserts, we should get familiar with the region where we can find most of them.

2.Folie: MENA

This is what economists call the MENA region. It is a Term for „Middle East and North Africa" which covers the region extending from Marokko in northwest Africa to Iran in southwest Asia.

A bevy of scientists and business people often call it simply the Arabian World.

In this Part of the world you can also find some of the the OPEC-member states Algeria, Lybia, Saudi Arabia, Irak, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Therefore the MENA region is relatively well endowed with oil, but also with Natural Gas.

3.Folie MENA

As emerging nations, MENA countries have to come to grips with a plethora of social problems. I give you three of them:

1.The latest report of the United Nations in October 2010 has corroborated that the arabian world is one of the most dynamic regions on the globe. This means an excessive growth of population.

In 2007 317 Million people have lived there. Today 368Million which is arround 6% of the world poulation, and 2015 (this is what the United Nations predict) there will live 395 Mio people in the MENA countries.

For the UN this development is a serious source of concern because it triggers a score of social challenges and provokes political conflicts. (3:51min)

2.MENA is one of the dryest regions in the world. But the inhabitants already use too much of the scarce water recources. Therefore the ground water table of the hole region has dropped.

The lack of precipitation also engenders the dispersal of deserts. The water deficiency deteriorates also because of the climate change and the dramatic population growth.

If this process continues there will be not enough water to serve the population, agriculture and industry. Scientists suggest that the Arabian world will lack any water in 2015. (4:14)

3.poverty anf poor education

In a score of MENA countries the rapid urbanisation engenders poverty and starvation because the cities lack an adequate infrastructure. Additionally a high rate of unemployment among the young people and the lack of education have triggered a viscious circle.

But the prominent reason for unemployment and all sources of poverty in this region is the poor diversification of the economy.

This means that there are only few goods which bear the GDP of a nation. The Lionshare of GDP goes back to the extracion of oil. The agricultural sector is just poor developped. To bring it to the bottom line: all eggs are in one basket.

This situation has caused serious damages for the arabian world because the economic crisis came hand in hand with plummeting oilprices. The result is clear: poverty scatters.

To sum up:

The social Development of the MENA region is critical. It asks for an adequate policy to improve the infrastructure and level of education.

However the dramatic poulation growth, water deficiency and the poor diversification have not alienated foreign investors. Entrepreneurs and Companies from all over the world still invest in this region irrespective of these social shortcomings.

4.Folie

MENA is also a region of political problems. There is no doubt that there are a bevy of unpresidented political crisises.

One reason for this are the undemocratic systems. Authoritarianism is scattered and goes hand in hand with arbitrary governments. As a result many countries for instances declare a state of emergency but forgo to annul this declaration after the critical period. So state of emergency become a permanent state of affairs in such nations.

Additionally censorship, discrimination and the violation of human rights are consequences of Authoritarian Governments.

Moreover international conflicts have made MENA a rocky road to travel. Remember the conflict between Israel and Palestinians! And in a region of scarce water and valuable oil recources wars seem unevitable.

But there are also quarrels within the boundaries of a state. E.g. between minority groups.

Security risks also arise because of poverty and the lack of