V2I12P34

Localising Environmental Knowledge in the Arab World- A Comprehensive Review

Mohamed Buheji^1*, Imad Saad²

Abstract

The Arab world faces distinct environmental challenges, including water scarcity, desertification, and economic dependency on hydrocarbons. Addressing these issues effectively requires moving beyond the adoption of externally generated, “off-the-shelf” policy and technological solutions. This paper argues for the critical importance of localising environmental knowledge—the process of adapting, contextualising, and reproducing global environmental science and policy within specific regional socio-ecological contexts.  Through a systematic desk-based review of literature and analysis of policy documents, the paper explores five core gaps that hinder effective environmental governance in the region: the Context Gap, Semantic Gap, Economic and Institutional Framework Gap, Institutional Gap, and Engagement Gap. For each gap, the paper analyses the underlying structural challenges. It proposes actionable pathways for the ‘Localisation Maturity Model’, emphasising the need for integrated strategies that connect academic research, institutional reform, economic incentives, and active community participation. The paper concludes that successful localisation is not merely an academic exercise but an existential imperative for building adaptive capacity, achieving sustainable development, and ensuring that the Arab region can navigate global ecological and economic transformations with agency and resilience.

Keywords:

Environmental Knowledge Localisation, Arab World, Sustainable Development, Policy Transfer, Contextual Adaptation, Community Engagement, Resilience Economy, Institutional Capacity.