National: The late Richard Smalley, a Nobel laureate in chemistry, compiled a list in 2003 of the top 10 problems that will plague humanity for half a century. On top of the list were energy and water. His rationale for putting energy above all was that most problems could be resolved or alleviated by the availability of affordable clean energy. He was right. Energy and water pose two of the most pressing challenges for the Middle East. Studies suggest that the average citizen in the region has access to...