Author: Frederik den Haan
The Arabian Gulf is one of the driest regions on earth, where freshwater resources are limited and natural replenishment is minimal. Against this backdrop of extreme water scarcity, countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have turned to desalination as a lifeline. A recent article by the Atlantic Council explores this growing reliance on desalination, underscoring both its critical role in water supply and the challenges it presents for long-term sustainability.
GCC countries—especially Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, and Qatar—are among the world’s leading producers of desalinated water. In some of these nations, desalinated seawater provides over 90 percent of the drinking water supply. This dependence has enabled rapid urban and industrial development, and allowed populations to grow despite harsh climatic and hydrological conditions.
Yet, as the Atlantic Council points out, this solution comes at a cost. Traditional desalination technologies are highly energy-intensive and often powered by fossil fuels, contributing to carbon emissions and undermining climate change mitigation efforts. For example, thermal desalination, still widely used in the Gulf, consumes significantly more energy than reverse osmosis (RO), the more modern alternative that is increasingly being adopted.
Beyond carbon emissions, environmental concerns also center on the brine byproduct. This concentrated saltwater, often released back into the Gulf’s shallow waters, can raise local salinity levels and temperatures, threatening marine ecosystems and biodiversity. With the Arabian Gulf already being one of the saltiest and warmest seas, the cumulative impact of years of brine discharge is a growing concern for environmental scientists.
In response, several Gulf states are investing in cleaner and more efficient desalination technologies. The UAE, for instance, is shifting heavily toward RO desalination and powering new plants with renewable energy sources like solar power. Saudi Arabia’s futuristic NEOM project similarly envisions large-scale solar-powered desalination to reduce environmental harm. These investments reflect a growing recognition that while desalination is indispensable, it must evolve to become more sustainable.
However, technology alone cannot solve the Gulf’s water woes. The article emphasizes the importance of policy reform, particularly in how water is priced and consumed. Subsidized water pricing throughout the region has historically encouraged overuse and waste. Without meaningful pricing reforms and stronger incentives for conservation, the gains from technological advances may be undermined by unsustainable consumption patterns.
Water governance also plays a crucial role. Experts argue that greater transparency, regional cooperation, and data sharing could help align water policy with sustainability goals. While each GCC state has pursued its own desalination strategy, shared challenges—such as environmental risks and transboundary marine impacts—call for more coordinated regional approaches.
Ultimately, as the Atlantic Council article concludes, desalination is not a silver bullet. It must be part of a broader water strategy that includes conservation, wastewater reuse, and effective governance. The Gulf’s water future depends not only on the ability to produce freshwater from the sea, but also on how wisely that water is used and how the environmental consequences are managed.
Read the full Atlantic Council article here.
Read our in-depth analysis on desalination in the GCC: ‘Desalination: Miracle or False Hope for the Water Scarce Gulf Countries?‘