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 March, 2020

World could witness ‘huge backlash’ in pollution after outbreak – Jerusalem Post

The warning was delivered by Dr. Orr Karassin, a senior lecturer at the Open University of Israel, based on evidence from the 2008 global financial crisis. By EYTAN HALON MARCH 26, 2020 A dramatic reduction in air pollution might seem like a silver lining in global efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, but the world […]

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We can fight pandemics like the coronavirus by protecting nature – Haaretz

Zafrir Rinat | Mar. 26, 2020 | 11:34 PM When the time comes to address the causes of the coronavirus outbreak and what lessons to draw to prevent future pandemics, there will be no avoiding acknowledgement of the ecological disruption mankind is doing to the world. This disruption significantly magnifies the potential of the spread […]

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Air pollution in Israel goes way down, likely due to coronavirus – Haaretz

‘It’s possible that changes in climate conditions contributed to the drop,’ Environment Ministry allows Zafrir Rinat | Mar. 23, 2020 | 12:32 AM The concentration of a key air pollutant has fallen by 30 percent over the past few weeks, most likely “thanks” to the coronavirus. The pollutant in question, nitrogen dioxide, is mainly emitted […]

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The Mighty Nile, Threatened by Waste, Warming, Mega-Dam – Naharnet

Early one morning in Cairo, volunteers paddle their kayaks across the Nile, fishing out garbage from the mighty waterway that gave birth to Egyptian civilization but now faces multiple threats. Egypt’s lifeline since Pharaonic days and the source of 97 percent of its water is under massive strain from pollution and climate change and now […]

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Water resources operating at highest capacity as demand surges by 40 per cent – Jordan Times

Abul Saud calls on public to use water ‘with high sense of responsibility’ By Hana Namrouqa – Mar 23,2020 AMMAN — The Kingdom’s water resources are operating at their highest capacity to meet the rising demand for water, which has soared by 40 per cent since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown on Saturday to […]

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Coronavirus and climate change; challenges and opportunities – (op ed) Jordan Times

Climate change and global warming are beyond scientific debate now. Even if climate change is a natural process, it is clear that human activities are accelerating and worsening the existing problem. Scientists have been warning that rising temperatures could disturb biomes and eco systems with migration of microorganisms and insects to new regions, where climate […]

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Coronavirus oblivious to Israeli, Palestinian borders – Al-Monitor

The necessity of cooperating against the novel coronavirus should encourage Israeli and Palestinian authorities to also work together on day-to-day issues, such as water and air pollution. March 10, 2020 URL: www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/03/israel-cogat-coronavirus-crossborder-cooperation-environment.html Author: Akiva Eldar Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Feb. 2 declaration that he had “instructed” the Israel Biological Institute to develop a vaccine against […]

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Debate: in the West Bank, the palm trees of discord – The Conversation

Julie Trottier On January 28, 2020, US president Donald Trump announced a “peace plan” that would involve the annexation of most of the Jordan Valley by Israel. Most reactions focused on its contradiction with international law – the Israeli occupation of the West Bank has been condemned by several United Nations resolutions. The economic context […]

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Energy Minister Steinitz: Israel to be coal-free from 2025 – Jerusalem Post

An earlier decision to shut four coal-fired production units in Hadera by 2022 has already been approved by the government. By EYTAN HALON NOVEMBER 13, 2019 20:12 Israel will move into a coal-free era of power production by the end of 2025, five years earlier than originally targeted, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz announced on Tuesday. […]

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The Blue Economy, the promising future – Jordan Times

In the aftermath of “Rio + 20” conference in 2012, Belgian economist Gunter Pauli talked about the need to protect the sustainable management of water resources, based on the assumption that ocean ecosystems are more productive and a must for the sustainability of the ocean-based economies, paving the way for a terminology to be used […]

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Wastewater Treatment: Overview, Types, Energy Consumption & Actual State in Lebanon with Proposal of Using Renewable Energy – Environment and Development

Firas S. Fayssal PhD in Renewable Energy 03/07/2019 Abstract- This paper provides an overview of Wastewater Treatment issue in Lebanon, past, present, and Future. The paper briefs the status of wastewater types adopted in the general study approved by Lebanese Government to cover the country at the level of design and implementation along with the […]

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Oman to Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags from Next Year – Naharnet

Oman will ban single-use plastic bags starting next year as part of efforts to reduce pollution and protect the environment, Muscat announced on Sunday. Located in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman stands out among its Gulf neighbors for its exceptional natural mountainous landscapes and rich marine life. “Companies and establishments are prohibited from […]

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New solar park to ease Iraqi governorate’s power shortage – Al-Monitor

A solar energy park to be funded by the European Union is expected to help lessen Dohuk’s daily power cuts in two years. February 20, 2020 URL: www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/02/solar-energy-park-shines-light-on-duhoks-electricity-woes.html Author: Joe Snell No one batted an eye when the power abruptly cut off in English teacher Miriam Zia’s 11th-grade classroom at the Sardam International School in […]

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Transpo rt Ministry to grant 25% commute subsidy to underprivileged – Jordan Times

By Maria Weldali – Mar 05,202 AMMAN — The Ministry of Transport on Thursday announced that it is planning to launch a service aimed at integrating underprivileged segments of society into the labour market through paying 25 per cent of their transport costs. The ministry’s transport support service falls in line with the government’s fourth […]

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Pollution is causing wild fish deformities – Haaretz

No less than 80 percent of wild splittails caught in the San Joaquin Delta had crooked spines, and farmed fish can have the same problems and more. Israel’s fish farms are closely supervised, ministry reassures Ruth Schuster | Mar. 4, 2020 Farmed fish can suffer deformity and a host of other troubles stemming from overcrowding, […]

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Palestinian landowners in Jerusalem neighborhood stop intrusion by Israeli nature authority team – WAFA

ERUSALEM, Thursday, March 12, 2020 (WAFA) – Palestinian landowners in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan today stopped an intrusion on their lands by a team from the Israeli Nature Preservation Authority, according to Saeed Abbasi, one of the land owners. He told WAFA that members of the Israeli nature authority broke into his […]

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After decades, Israel permits picking of plant popular in Arab kitchens – Haaretz

Nature and Parks Authority allows up to five kilos of gundelia, known as akkoub in Arabic and which had protective status for years, to be collected per day Zafrir Rinat | Mar. 12, 2020 The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has announced it will permit limited collection of gundelia, a plant popular in Arab kitchens […]

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Israeli, Arab, int’l scientists call for action to save Red Sea corals – Jerusalem Post

Achieving regional cooperation between countries such as Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia presents unique challenges, but the scientific community is ready to do its part. By ROSSELLA TERCATIN MARCH 4, 2020 19:35 The time to save the Red Sea corals is now, and the opportunity offered is unique: preserving a reef that, contrary to […]

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Tanks could soon roll through one of Israel’s most important nature reserves – Haaretz

Activists worry that road army plans in preparation for conflict with Hezbollah could badly damage reserve that is home to many mammal species and rare plants Zafrir Rinat | Mar. 9, 2020 The army is planning to build a road for heavy vehicles in the Galilee’s Nahal Keziv nature reserve, one of many new roads […]

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Jordanian Forest Week: A call to rally behind Kingdom’s deteriorating sylvan lands – Jordan Times

Event aims to engage stakeholders in dialogue to change forest, biodiversity-related legislation By Maram Kayed – Mar 10,2020 There are 2,500 species of plants, more than 150 species of mammals and creeping animals and about 430 species of birds, most of which are on the brink of extinction, in the Kingdom’s forests (Photo courtesy of […]

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