What could happen to the Middle East if oil were no longer a major and primary source of energy?

What could happen to the Middle East if oil were no longer a major and primary source of energy? What might the Middle East do to adapt to such a situation? In general, what can economies based on sources of energy do to adapt to changes caused by depletion of natural resources? There is no nation that can survive economically on only one source of income. The Middle East is no exception to this. Although according to Luthans and Doh,(2012) “Arab and central Asian countries rely almost exclusively on oil production”.

Exclusive dependence on any one product would definitely result in

economic demise. This would result in greater poverty and economic suffering in a nation where oil is no longer a major and primary resource. The Middle East would also be faced with political, cultural and religious issues in addition to the economic conditions that would result from the loss of income from oil production and sales. This is so because; the protection and aid the Middle East currently enjoys from the United States in spite of its current policies and turmoil would no longer exist.

This would result in greater economic hardship to its citizens. It is imperative that Middle Eastern countries look at other industries to develop for its economic survival. In a Forbes magazine article entitled, “What Happens When America No Longer Needs Middle East Oil? ” Loren Thompson stated that the United States will be self sufficient in energy by 2030 because of new drilling technologies, alternative fuels and the reduction in the consumption of oil reducing the need for imported oil.

Sustainable development is the only way the Middle East would be able to survive economically. According to Thompson some of the things the Middle East can look at are creating alternative sustainable energy such as solar and wind power, enhancing its infrastructures such as road and bridges as proper infrastructure is a very important for commerce to be realized. The Middle East could be compared to a Jamaica for example at one point sugar and bauxite was a major industry for that country.

However the government did not have a plan for the economy when the bauxite or sugar industry was depleted. You can definitely see the impact it has and continues to have on the Jamaican economy. This might be an unfair comparison; because the Middle East is more economically viable than Jamaica has ever been but the end result can be the same or worst because of the religious and cultural differences if a plan is not put in place for the inevitable.

The economies should develop and implement alternative energy sources for the country, because natural resources does not last forever especially if it is not been used efficiently. If our natural resources are not been used sensibly the impact will be great. Without resources there can be no economic growth and development. The depletion of natural resources is a global problem in some instances we use these resources faster than they can be produced.