In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area, groundwater overdraft has negative impacts and ramifications for not only the groundwater resources themselves but also for other environmental factors and for socio-economic continuity. Jordan is already facing negative consequences, without enough time for reversing the deteriorating situation. Exploitation of nonrenewable groundwater resources worldwide has been driven by increasing supply to household, industrial and agricultural sectors without adequately taking into account social, economic, ecological, geological, environmental and ethical considerations. This study analyses the development of the nonrenewable groundwater resources in Jordan and its consequences, to serve as a case study for what is happening in the MENA area. The consequences of such overexploitation in Jordan can be summarized as follows: declining groundwater levels; mobilization of salt-water bodies; ceasing or decreasing spring discharge; declining biodiversity with many ecological, environmental and socio-economic consequences leading to increasing unemployment and poverty; and land instability in the form of land subsidence and enhanced risk of earthquakes. The study concludes that the impacts and ramifications of overexploiting nonrenewable groundwater resources are generally irreversible, and the measures needed to stop the deteriorating state of groundwater resources are unavailable or unlikely to be implemented within the coming two decades. The question that remains is whether and when human actions can change from those of conquerors, invaders, and raiders to those of friends and lovers of the Earth.

在中东和北非（MENA）地区，地下水透支不仅对地下水资源本身，而且对其他环境因素和社会经济连续性产生负面影响和后果。约旦已经面临负面后果，没有足够的时间扭转日益恶化的局势。全球不可再生地下水资源的开发是由于家庭、工业和农业部门供应量的增加而推动的，而没有充分考虑社会、经济、生态、地质、环境和伦理方面的考虑。本研究分析了约旦不可再生地下水资源的开发及其后果，作为中东和北非地区正在发生的情况的案例研究。约旦这种过度开采的后果可概括如下： 地下水位下降；调动咸水体；停止或减少弹簧放电；生物多样性下降，造成许多生态、环境和社会经济后果，导致失业和贫困加剧；地面沉降形式的土地不稳定和地震风险增加。该研究的结论是，过度开采不可再生地下水资源的影响和后果通常是不可逆转的，阻止地下水资源恶化所需的措施在未来二十年内不可用或不太可能实施。剩下的问题是，人类的行为是否以及何时能够从征服者、入侵者和掠夺者的行为转变为地球的朋友和热爱者的行为。