STUDY CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT KEY WATER CHALLENGES IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN: A CALL FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION Emine E. Sülün December 2023 Currently, the Mediterranean basin ranks as one of the world’s most contaminated seas, confronting immediate dangers from climate change and the deterioration of ecosystems. The combination of climate change with demographic and socio­economic changes leads to reduced surface water flow and groundwater recharge, as well as increased risks of excessive water use. Around 30 million people, mainly in the southern and eastern Mediterranean, struggle to access safe drinking water. The elements that contribute to increasing water vulnerability, including conflicts and health hazards, might intensify in the future, presenting new obstacles in managing water resources. Although water sources in the region have been a point of contention among countries, they are not the primary cause of conflicts. However, water plays a significant role in the Arab-Israeli dispute and in the disagreements over the Tigris­Euphrates and Nile basins.