In a joint effort by Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, a $5 billion project is being proposed in an attempt to revive the Dead Sea. In what is also being billed as a peace conduit, involved parties hope the project will not only save the fast-diminishing body of water – a resource shared among them – but also foster peace among these oft-clashing neighbors.

The Dead Sea, which serves as both a popular tourist destination and a valuable water resource to the arid region, has already lost about one-third of its volume. The sea’s water level continues to shrink by about 1 meter a year.

The proposed solution is to build a 180-kilometer pipeline from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea in order to replenish Dead Sea water levels. The World Bank has agreed to finance the project, and a $15.5 million feasibility study was kicked off in December.

Opponents say that the real causes of the vanishing sea – overuse of water resources by the mineral mining industry and the nearly complete diversion of the Jordan River – are not even addressed by the study. The environmental impact of the mixing of the waters, principally the threat of gypsum and algae growth in the Dead Sea and negative impact to the coral reefs of the Red Sea, are also a cause for concern.

Proponents say normalizing water levels will preserve tourism, agriculture and mineral extraction in the region. They point out that an added benefit could be the production hydroelectric power, which could be utilized for the operation of a desalination plant. Half of the saltwater extracted from the Red Sea would be treated to provide drinking water for Jordan, Palestine and Israel. The remaining water would be directed to the Dead Sea.

Just an hour’s drive from Jerusalem, the Dead Sea is the lowest and most saline body of water on Earth. It is also a prominent character in much of social and religious history, particularly for Jews, Christians and Muslims. This attracts millions of visitors annually, the impact of which is substantial.

Friends of the Earth Middle East, a coalition of Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli environmentalists, say that sustainable tourism will be the key if the Dead Sea is to thrive long-term.