Environment and Climate in the Middle East

news, conferences, policy discussions and academic publications on environmental issues and climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean

Environment and Climate in the Middle East

Archives for January, 2011

Message at 2021: Israel is behind in the world’s ‘green revolution – Haaretz

Israel is about to miss a huge opportunity if it doesn’t make a radical change in its environmental policy. By Ora Coren Businesses can create products that actually clean up the environment rather than those that pollute it, the head of the Akirov Institute for Business and the Environment at Tel Aviv University said yesterday […]

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Can Israel be a better place, at least in the energy sector? – Haaretz

The Better Place company expects 2011 to be a breakthrough year for electric cars in Israel but there are questions on whether the electric grid is up to the task. By Liz Steinberg Israel is one of the global pioneers in building national infrastructure for electric cars, as the home base of electric car innovator […]

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Research Opportunity: Comparing Climate Change Policy Networks

The project on Comparing Climate Change Policy Networks http://compon.org/ examines factors that account for cross-national variation in efforts to mitigate climate change. Nations have sufficient natural scientific information on the subject, but lack the social and political will to respond seriously. The COMPON project currently has teams in over 15 societies (developed, developing, and transitional) […]

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‘FM did not discuss water projects with Israelis’ – Jordan Times

AMMAN (JT) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh did not discuss joint water projects with Israel in his recent meetings with Israeli officials, an official said on Tuesday, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. Responding to media reports and op-eds claiming that Judeh held meetings with Israeli officials that focused on implementing joint […]

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Environmental Peacemaking January 2011 – FOEME

Friends of the Earth Middle East’s “Good Water Neighbors project” was one of 10 educational projects chosen to present its activities at the “First Sachnin-Oranim Conference for Education for Tolerance and Coexistence”. The conference took place in the Arab Israeli city of Sachnin on December 14th with keynote speaker Avraham Burg, speaking about the role […]

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Report: Gov’t to put desalination plant in Ashdod on hold – Jerusalem Post

By AMIRAM BARKAT 01/06/2011 07:27 Cancellation of the tender and publication of a new one is liable to delay the facility by years. Prime Minister’s Office director- general Eyal Gabai will advise the government to cancel the contract with Mekorot (national water company) to build the Ashdod desalination plant, people familiar with the matter told […]

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Farms ‘largely recovered’ from late rainy season – Jordan Times

By Raed Omari AMMAN – The outlook for the Kingdom’s agriculture sector is stable, according to farmers and experts, who expressed hope that January and February will bring sufficient rain so farms can meet market needs. Musa Mashatleh, a farmer and agriculture expert in the northern Jordan Valley, said vegetable crops in the area have […]

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Extreme measures may be considered due to rainfall shortage – Jerusalem Post

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS 01/13/2011 03:28 Water Authority has been considering a change in water prices such that the average user would pay less and the wasteful one more. Water Authority head Prof. Uri Shani clarified Wednesday that extreme measures to conserve water would only be considered if less than 70% of the average amount […]

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This was Kinneret’s worst decade since 1920s – Jerusalem Post

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS 01/04/2011 05:04 Despite reduced pumping, Israel’s “national lake” has dropped back down to last year’s level due to drier winters. The years 2001 to 2010 treated Lake Kinneret particularly poorly, the Water Authority said Monday. Moreover, according to its summary of 2010, Lake Kinneret has dropped back down to last year’s […]

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Arid Israel recycles waste water on grand scale – YNET

With increased interest worldwide, Jewish state marketing its waste water reuse technologies and has developed billion-dollar industry by sharing systems and expertise Reuters Published: 01.13.11, 08:34 Thirty years ago, Israeli farmers faced a daunting choice – find a new water source or go under. Their solution was waste water recycling. Now climate change is presenting […]

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New initiative to boost Tafileh Governorate water supply – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa AMMAN – Water supply in the southern Tafileh Governorate, where water loss amounts to 56 per cent, will be improved under an $18 million project that entails construction of reservoirs and rehabilitation of deteriorated networks, according to officials. To this end, the Japanese government on Wednesday granted Jordan $560,000 for drawing up […]

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Overpumping raising salinity levels of water in Azraq Basin – study – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa AMMAN – Overpumping of water from the Azraq Basin for drinking and irrigation purposes is raising salinity levels at the aquifer, a recently released study indicated. The basin, which supplies Amman with 17 million cubic metres (mcm) of potable water annually and 43mcm for irrigation, is showing signs of salinisation and depletion, […]

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U.N. may help Lebanon protect offshore reserves – Daily Star

By Patrick Galey Tuesday, January 11, 2011 BEIRUT: The U.N. may be able to assist Lebanon in protecting oil and gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean from Israeli exploitation, the organization’s special coordinator said Monday. Michael Williams’ remarks followed a request from Prime Minister Saad Hariri during a weekend meeting with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon […]

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Israel gas search violates sea border – Lebanon – Jordan Times

By Laila Bassam and Dominic Evans Reuters BEIRUT – Lebanon accused Israel on Monday of breaking international law by allowing energy firms to explore for offshore gas in the absence of an agreement between the two countries on their maritime border. Foreign Minister Ali Al Shami said no company should be allowed to operate in […]

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UN says will help Beirut with maritime border, protect gas – Jerusalem Post

By ASSOCIATED PRESS AND JPOST.COM STAFF 01/10/2011 18:41 Move follows huge gas reserve discovery along the unclear naval border, subsequent Lebanese requests for help from UN. Talkbacks (13) BEIRUT — A United Nations official said the international body is willing to assist Lebanon demarcate its naval border with Israel to protect the country’s gas reserves. […]

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UN to help Lebanon demarcate sea borders to protect gas reserves – Haaretz

Beirut requested UN to protect the country’s gas reserves along the maritime border with Israel, after a huge gas field was discovered underneath the Mediterranean Sea. By Reuters and The Associated Press A United Nations official said Monday the international body was willing to assist Lebanon demarcate its naval border with Israel to protect the […]

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Jordan, Iraq agree ‘in principle’ to extend oil pipeline – Jordan Times

AMMAN (JT) – Jordan and Iraq have agreed in principle to extend a pipeline to convey crude Iraqi oil to Jordan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. During a meeting between Prime Minister Samir Rifai and his Iraqi counterpart Nouri Maliki on Monday, the two officials also discussed the possibility of future expansion of the […]

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Shrinking Leviathan to its natural size – Haaretz

It seems that nobody has bothered studying the state of the international gas market. Nor have they put any thought into how processes in that market affect the economic feasibility of Leviathan. By Doron Tsur I hate to be a joy-killer. But when elation runs riot, somebody has to ask the tough questions. It’s a […]

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Three new nature reserves to be launched this year – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa AMMAN – Three new nature reserves will be launched this year, raising the number of protected areas in the Kingdom to 11, Ministry of Environment officials said on Wednesday. The three new proposed nature reserves are Qatar, Fifa and Jabal Masouda, Ministry of Environment Secretary General Fares Juneidi said yesterday, noting that […]

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West Bank olive waste offers source of ‘green’ heating – Haaretz

Olivebar trawls olive presses for pellets and skins left after production of olive oil, and compresses the waste into logs for the fireplace. By Zafrir Rinat A factory set up recently near the West Bank settlement of Nokdim is offering an innovative method of “green” heating: compressed olive-waste logs for the fireplace. The company, Olivebar, […]

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