Ethiopia has completed filling its controversial Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) with water from the Blue Nile to power its millions of citizens. The project has irked neighbors Egypt and Sudan, who see it as a threat to their existence. However, the three countries ignore a bigger enemy: climate change and overuse of the Nile River. And that's the flip side.
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00:00 Ethiopia has completed filling its controversial Grand Renaissance Dam with water from the Blue
00:05 Nile to power its millions of citizens. The project has angered neighbors Egypt and Sudan
00:11 who see it as an existential threat. But the three countries ignore a bigger enemy,
00:16 climate change and overuse of the Nile River. Welcome to the flip side.
00:27 Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan are embroiled in a contentious dispute over Ethiopia's dam.
00:32 This dispute, while grabbing the headlines, is overshadowing a far more pressing issue
00:55 that threatens the very lifeline of these nations, climate change and the overuse of the Nile River.
01:00 The Nile River has long been a source of sustenance and life for Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.
01:06 Eight other African countries share the river which is the world's longest. Nearly 95% of
01:12 Egyptians live only a few kilometers from the Nile, highlighting how crucial the river is
01:17 for survival. But as temperatures rise and water resources become scarcer,
01:22 the reliance on this vital river is pushing the three nations toward a common crisis.
01:27 Climate change is bringing fresh challenges. Droughts have become more frequent, crops are
01:32 failing and water levels are shrinking. Yet, instead of uniting against this shared threat,
01:39 these nations remain locked in a bitter battle over the Grand Renaissance Dam,
01:43 symbolizing their inability to cooperate in the face of adversity.
01:47 We have to recognize that droughts and floods will happen. Look at it scientifically,
01:51 where will droughts and floods happen, different scenarios of climate change.
01:56 And in so doing also integrate that with the different water use policies that go all the way
02:00 to domestic use, to agriculture use and other industrial uses. So that's among the best
02:06 approaches. The Nile River basin is warming at an alarming rate and the Nile slope has decreased
02:12 over the last 50 years. Farmers in Ethiopia are feeling the heat as rainfall becomes erratic,
02:18 leading to failed harvests and food insecurity. In Egypt, growing populations and increased
02:24 urbanization are straining water resources, exacerbating the issue of water scarcity.
02:30 The framework has to be like a very open framework where we come and negotiate together
02:36 and not impose anything, but mostly look at it as a regional resource, bring a lot of science,
02:41 a lot of technology, a lot of climate adaptation, building resilience also so that we don't
02:48 over rely on the resource also. By prioritizing the health of the Nile River and addressing the
02:54 root causes of its deterioration, they can ensure that the lifeline of their nations
02:59 remain vibrant for generations to come. And that's the flip side.
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