• Mission of ROWA
• The West Asia Region
• Specific Environmental Issues for West Asia
• ROWA Priorities

ROWA’s major function is to coordinate UNEP’s Programme of Work in West Asia, providing the link between UNEP’s Divisions, Units and Centres and the countries of the region.With a focus on enabling member states to achieve their visions for sustainable development, ROWA promotes collaboration and partnerships with organisations to develop relevant programmes to respond to the needs of the region. 

Located in Bahrain,ROWA’s officers work with a wide range of experts from within UNEP and also the region, to provide advisory services, capacity building and technology transfer in the priority areas of the region under a series of umbrella programmes.

The West Asia region, comprised of 12 member states (Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen), is characterised by two distinct sub-regions – the Arabian Peninsula and the Mashreq.  The Arabian Peninsula is extremely arid (over 70% desert) with an industrial base dominated by the oil and gas industry.  In contrast, the Mashreq, while still arid, is primarily agrarian.  The arid nature of the region has defined its environmental priorities, with water scarcity and land degradation two of the major issues.  Major socio-economic transformations in the last 30 years have seen improvements in the access to water and sanitation and increased life expectancy.

Rapid population growth placing increasing pressure on the limited water and land within the region, combined with increased per capita consumption, presents enormous challenges in terms of human, social and economic development.  Increased industrial output and diversification, farming of more marginal lands and some of the world’s highest per capita water consumption levels have led to continued environmental degradation and overexploitation.  This has led to loss of biodiversity, loss of arable and grazing land, depletion and pollution of already limited freshwater resources, degradation of the coastal and marine environment and deterioration in air quality.  This situation is further complicated by the complex political situation in the region and the conflicts affecting some member states.

1. Freshwater – quantity and quality
2. Land degradation
3. Degradation of the coastal and marine environment
4. Loss of biodiversity
5. Air quality
6. Chemicals and Waste Management
7. Implementation of Multi-Lateral Environmental Agreements

In response to the challenges facing the region, ROWA maintains close cooperation with the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE) and the Technical Secretariat of the League of Arab States (LAS), most notably, developing its programme to respond to the needs of the region as outlined in the Arab Initiative on Sustainable Development (AISD).

majority of programme activities in the region are carried out in partnership with CAMRE, and through ROWA membership of its three Steering Committees:

(i)Steering Committee on Land Degradation, Desertification, Biodiversity and Water
(ii)Steering Committee on Industry and Environment; and
(iii)Steering Committee on Environmental Awareness, Information and Education

It is through these steering committees that the majority of programmes are identified, developed and implemented in the region, taking into account the priorities defined by UNEP’s Governing Council as well as those of CAMRE
ROWA also responds to the needs of individual members states in the development of the own national strategies for environment.