Arabisch-israelische Kooperation zur Rettung des Roten Meeres

Die Bedrohung der Korallenriffe im Roten Meer durch Klimaerwärmung und Überfischung machen eine höchst seltene Kooperation möglich. Unter Schweizer Ägide planen die Anrainer des Roten Meeres in Zukunft gemeinsam in einem Institut zusammen zu arbeiten:

Under the mediation of a neutral third-party, Israel will partner with neighboring Red Sea countries – including Saudi Arabia and Sudan – to establish a research center for the study, monitoring and protection of coral reef ecosystems.

The Red Sea Transnational Research Center in the Swiss city of Bern – initiated by Prof. Maoz Fine of Bar-Ilan University’s Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences – will include partners from Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Eritrea, Sudan, Yemen and Djibouti. Facilitating partnerships between stakeholders without diplomatic relations, the center will be led by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL).

The center will bring together scientists from each country from a wide range of disciplines, including oceanography, biology, genetics, ecology, geology, nature conservancy, and civil and environmental engineering.

It aims to monitor and protect Red Sea coral reefs by studying their health and biodiversity, and researching the impact of human activity along the shores of the Red Sea, such as agriculture, urbanization, coastal infrastructure, fishing and industrialization. The findings will supply policy makers with scientific analyses for decision-making regarding societal development and environmental protection.