Neúrodný půlměsíc - Klimatická proměna Blízkého východu – Hrabalová Lenka (2025)

The climate crisis is manifesting everywhere. Most notably in places we don't usually think about.

It is said that the flashpoints of future conflicts will be disputes over basic resources — drinking water, agricultural land, space to live. Perhaps nowhere is this more true than in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, which only make it into the media in connection with political crises, not environmental ones. Arabist Lenka Hrabalová therefore embarks on a journey to the rivers Euphrates and Tigris in The Fertile Crescent to tell the story of water, its scarcity, and strategic importance. She examines whether the Sahara can green again and whether tapping into its vast underground water reserves carries any risks. She explores the history of ancient forests and their near future, which will likely be dry, full of fires, but also new technologies and ecological approaches. She meets local people and foreign scientists, all of whom are searching for solutions and ways to retain moisture, cool the air, and grow something. At the same time, she depicts the entire region from an unexpected, surprising, and necessary perspective.