Desalination used to be the preserve of money-rich but water-poor Middle Eastern countries. It was expensive and caused pollution, but in the arid desert, where rain is scarce, there was little choice. Without desalination, taps across the Gulf would run dry and crops would wither and die. Experts have issued warnings about possible water wars of the future as one of the world’s most precious resources begins to dry up. This week on Beyond the Headlines, host James Haines-Young looks at how Saudi Arabia, the UAE, other Gulf states and Israel led a water revolution and how desalination could solve the world's water worries.
