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 April, 2017

New Publication: Of Trees and People: The Changing Entanglement in the Israeli Desert by Liron Shani

Source: Ethnos: Journal of Anthropology Abstract: This article portrays the shift experienced in the role of acacia trees during environmental–political struggles as the entanglement of trees and people. Drawing on a four-year ethnographic study around Israel’s Arava desert valley, the article narrates human interactions with these trees amid an environmental conflict fraught with personal and […]

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New Publication: Dynamic political contexts and power asymmetries: the cases of the Blue Nile and the Yarmouk Rivers by Hussam Hussein & Mattia Grandi

Source and link: International Environmental Agreements Abstract: This paper explores the evolving patterns of hydropolitical relations in the dynamic contexts of Yarmouk and Blue Nile Rivers in comparison. The analysis aims at shedding light over the complex implications that recent political and social changes have aroused for the water disputes between Jordan and Syria on […]

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Israeli-American Group Invents Breakthrough Way to Really Clean Viruses From Wastewater – Haaretz/ Jerusalem Post

HAARETZ Special hydrogel could bring the answer to thirsty cities in a warming world Ruth Schuster Apr 20, 2017 Reusing wastewater is key to survival in a warming, urbanized world. Now a group of Israeli and American scientists have put together their knowledge of chemistry and microbiology to invent a membrane ultra-filtration technique that weeds […]

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Six arrested for illegal well drilling in Irbid – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa – Apr 18,2017 AMMAN — Authorities have arrested six people for drilling an illegal well at night in Ramtha, in Irbid Governorate, a government official said on Tuesday. Following reports on “suspicious activities” on Monday night in downtown Ramtha, 90km north of Amman, a team from the Water Authority of Jordan, the […]

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Five water pumping stations to operate on solar power — Water Ministry – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa – Apr 21,2017 AMMAN — Five of the Kingdom’s main water pumping stations will operate on solar power by next year to reduce the water sector’s energy consumption, officials announced on Thursday. Solar power plants will be built at the site of five major pumping stations, officials said, indicating that installation of […]

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‘GAM plans to transform challenges into investment opportunities – Jordan Times

Every service needed in Amman is a ‘window of investment opportunity’ — Shawarbeh By Hana Namrouqa – Apr 19,2017 AMMAN — The absence of a proper public transport system and sound management of waste are two of the major problems Greater Amman Municipality’s (GAM) can turn into investment opportunities for the private sector, a senior […]

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Towards a green Jordan (editorial) – Jordan Times

Apr 23,2017 Ali Kassay A good book that I read some time ago was “Collapse”, by Jarred Diamond, whose main argument was that communities which overexploit their environment tend to collapse as their territory becomes uninhabitable. Diamond did not focus on Jordan, but he mentioned that the Petra region was verdant when the Nabataeans first […]

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Environmental destruction poses ‘threats to survival of humankind’ — Sharia scholars – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa – Apr 23,2017 AMMAN — Global warming, climate change, desertification, pollution and the exploitation of natural resources all constitute growing threats to the survival of humankind, Sharia (Islamic law) scholars said on Sunday. Speaking during a two-day conference on Islamic Sharia perspective on water and the environment, the scholars expressed their religious […]

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Haifa to Get ‘Green Lung’ With Approval for Kishon Stream Park – Haaretz

Park, to be about 600 dunams (148 acres), will preserve the last open spaces in the area Zafrir Rinat Apr 26, 2017 The establishment of a park on the banks of the Kishon Stream near Haifa was approved Tuesday by planning authorities. The park, to be about 600 dunams (148 acres), will preserve the last […]

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150km of bike lanes to connect central cities – YNET

As part of a plan by the government and local authorities, 150km of interurban bicycle lanes will be built at an investment of NIS 620 million and are expected to be completed by 2019. Asaf Zagrizak|Published: 17.04.17 Two large scale projects to be undertaken by the government and local authorities are expected to add hundreds […]

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Egyptian power line feeding southern Gaza back in operation – Maan

April 22, 2017 On Thursday, it was announced that a power line feeding Gaza from Egypt had been damaged, a few days following an announcement that another Egyptian power line had been disconnected. Head of the public relations department of Gaza’s power company in Rafah Abdullah al-Najili said that the Egyptian power line was fixed […]

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Palestinian family makes use of unique power house – Jordan Times

DAHRIYA, Palestinian Territories — Power comes in many forms, but Kamal Al Jebrini’s family looked to where others may fear to tread for a new source of it: cow dung. The family has begun recycling waste from its cows to produce electricity for one of the largest Palestinian dairy plants and even to provide power […]

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Israel to open Kerem Shalom crossing on Friday to allow fuel into Gaza -Maan

GAZA (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities announced on Thursday that the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing between Israel and the besieged Gaza Strip would be opened for Friday in order to allow fuel to enter the small Palestinian territory. Gaza’s borders committee reported that Israeli authorities had said that the crossing would be opened to […]

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Gaza’s power authority cuts off electricity to all districts amid deepening crisis – Maan

GAZA (Ma’an) — Gaza’s power authority on Friday temporarily cut off electricity to all districts of the besieged Gaza Strip in protest of “unfair measures” imposed on the coastal enclave, as Hamas and the Fatah-ruled Palestinian Authority (PA) have continued to blame each other for a deepening crisis in the small Palestinian territory. The authority […]

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New seawater quality monitoring station installed off Aqaba – Jordan Times

by Hana Namrouqa – Apr 15,2017 Photo courtesy of the AMP’s Facebook page AMMAN — A new seawater quality monitoring station in the southern part of the Gulf of Aqaba is now disseminating constant data to specialists on sea temperature, salinity and oxygen levels as well as any polluting agents, a conservationist said on Saturday. […]

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Israeli start-up extracting water from air, around the world – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN 04/08/2017 Water Gen tech works in remote locations, and where pipes are no longer safe. From the remote corners of India to the palm-lined streets of Miami-Dade County, one Israeli company is aiming to do the unthinkable – extract safe, inexpensive potable water from the air we breathe. “We created a product […]

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Thousands join campaign to keep Kingdom litter-free -Jordan Times

By Laila Azzeh – Apr 09,2017 AMMAN – The Kingdom on Saturday witnessed the largest ever clean-up campaign targeting dozens of public and tourist sites across the country. Under the “cry of a homeland”, thousands of people descended on streets, sport centres, parks, forests, schools and universities to take part in the cleaning campaign. “I […]

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Natural history museum at Bethlehem University opens to the public – WAFA / Maan

BETHLEHEM, April 15, 2017 (WAFA) – The Bethlehem University-based Palestine Museum of Natural History and the botanical gardens that are part of the Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS) at Bethlehem University opened to the public on Saturday, according to the founders of the project. The official opening ceremony was held on Wednesday and […]

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Israel, European states advance plans for world’s longest underwater gas pipeline – Jerusalem Post / YNET

By Sharon Udasin April 3, 2017 15:02 The proposed 2,000 kilometer (subsea pipeline would connect gas fields offshore Israel and Cyprus with Greece and possibly Italy. Aiming to transform the Eastern Mediterranean into a regional energy hub, Israeli and European officials signed a joint declaration on Monday to promote construction of the world’s longest subsea […]

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In First, Israel Wants to Build Power Plants in Open Areas Using Private Developers – Haaretz

Environmental Protection Ministry and Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel have come out against the plan, saying it could compromise open spaces. Zafrir Rinat Apr 02, 2017 For the first time, private developers will be able to submit plans for power plants in open areas, according to a new ministry proposal to be […]

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