Israel's Energy Minister, Israel Katz, recently held a meeting with the CEO of Masdar, the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) renowned renewable energy company. The discussions centered on a noteworthy proposal involving a water-for-energy exchange between Jordan, the UAE, and Israel.
Under the proposed agreement, Jordan would provide solar energy generated from its UAE-funded plant to Israel, while Israel, in return, would supply desalinated water to Jordan. The meeting, which took place on Tuesday at an undisclosed location, aimed to finalize the technical aspects and prepare contracts for signing, slated to occur at the upcoming UN climate conference, COP28, scheduled for October in the UAE.
See also: Jordan Aims to Reach 50% Renewable Energy in its Energy Mix by 2030
As reported by the Times of Israel, the agreement necessitates subsequent political and commercial agreements to be signed post-COP28.
Talks surrounding this agreement have been ongoing for several months. In August, Minister Katz engaged with Jordanian counterparts responsible for water, energy, and the environment, along with Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE's Minister of Industry and Innovation. Earlier in September, representatives from Masdar conducted a visit to Israel.
See also: UAE Calls for Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Emissions, Not Production, Ahead of COP28 Talks
In June, Minister Katz also met with John Kerry, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Affairs, to discuss the comprehensive plans. During the meeting, he informed Kerry about the development of a substantial 600MW solar plant in Jordan, with Israel committed to exporting 200 million cubic meters of desalinated water annually to its neighboring country. These projects have been designated as “Prosperity Green” and “Prosperity Blue,” respectively. The potential agreement represents a significant step towards regional collaboration in clean energy and resource sustainability.
