Forest fire erupts in north Lebanon August 06, 2013 06:17 PM TRIPOLI, Lebanon: Fire fighters are battling a forest fire which erupted in north Lebanon Tuesday as residence call on authorities for additional assistance. The fire is reportedly raging on a hill between the villages of al-Bira and Sendyaneh and is approaching the village of […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By SHARON UDASIN 08/10/2013 Law requires manufacturers and importers to take responsibility for handling all packaging waste that they bring into the market. Twelve companies who did not act in accordance with the stipulations of the Packaging Law and avoided contact with the Tamir recycling firm each received a fine of around NIS 155,000 from […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Untreated industrial waste that was channeled into ground compromised water wells in Israel’s north; three-year-old cleanup appears to be delayed due to funding difficulties. By Zafrir Rinat | Jul. 31, 2013 Cleanup and containment of contamination discovered three years ago at a Rafael Advanced Defense Systems facility in the Haifa Bay area may be hampered […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Jerusalem also plans to recycle a large part of the capital’s waste. By Zafrir Rinat | Aug. 1, 2013 The last remaining garbage dump site situated near a major Israeli city is to close by the end of the year. After using the Abu Dis site for many decades, Jerusalem will use the Effeh landfill […]

Read the rest of this entry »

August 06, 2013 BEIRUT: Parliament’s Environment Committee reiterated Monday demands to close the Naameh landfill, citing its negative effects in and around Beirut. The committee, chaired by MP Akram Shehayeb, held a meeting in Parliament to discuss the issue, with the attendance of mayors from the areas surrounding the landfill and other officials. The Naameh […]

Read the rest of this entry »

With 90-95% of Strip’s only aquifer contaminated by sewage, chemicals and seawater, public taps provide water for only about 20% of population, forcing many more residents to buy bottled water at a premium 07.22.13 A tiny wedge of land jammed between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean sea, the Gaza Strip is heading inexorably into a […]

Read the rest of this entry »

The Environmental Protection Ministry is setting up a new unit with the authority to arrest suspects, carry out searches and impound trucks at checkpoints. By Zafrir Rinat | Jul. 29, 2013 The Environmental Protection Ministry will launch a special unit in the next few months to prevent the smuggling of construction debris and other waste […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By SHARON UDASIN 07/25/2013 New bill would enable ministry to help weaker local authorities establish waste infrastructure, evacuate hazards from their midst. The Knesset’s Internal Affairs and Environment Committee approved a bill for the Knesset’s second and third (final) readings on Wednesday that would temporarily amend the Maintenance of Cleanliness Law, enabling the Environmental Protection […]

Read the rest of this entry »

by Taylor Luck | July 29, 2013 AMMAN — Activists have officially petitioned to establish the country’s first “green party” in a bid to bring environmental issues to the forefront of the national policy debate. According to the fledgling Green Party of Jordan, founding member and human rights activist Ghandi Abu Sharar officially petitioned the […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Sharjah, Monday, July 22, 2013- American University of Sharjah (AUS) will host the sixth annual conference of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) on 28-29 October 2013. This was announced today at AUS an AFED academic member. The conference will cover topics including renewable energy prospects, future of nuclear energy, energy efficiency, mitigation […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By: Mohamed El-Ashry Let me start with the simple fact that “development is not possible without energy and sustainable development is not possible without sustainable energy.” There is broad consensus that the current path of global energy development is not sustainable in economic, environmental, or social terms. Twenty-five years ago, in 1987, the World Commission […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Najib Saab July 2013 Ten weeks after its departure from San Francisco, on the West Coast of the United States, Solar Impulse landed in New York on the East Coast. During many stopovers between the kickoff and final destination, cities were awarded green certificates for supporting eco-friendly technology, and millions visited the plane to have […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Anne Saab* Can Climate-ready seeds be the answer to food insecurity in the face of climate change? Climate change is predicted to have dramatic impacts on agricultural production in some regions of the world. Increased incidences of drought, higher average temperatures, and more precipitation are among the symptoms of climate change. As agriculture is highly […]

Read the rest of this entry »

July 26, 2013 By Samya Kullab BEIRUT: Ships sailing off Beirut’s coast emit thick plumes of smoke from their stacks, and cars line the main roads for miles during the capital’s grinding rush-hour traffic, with their exhaust pipes emitting dangerous fumes. Many factors are thought to adversely impact air quality in Lebanon, but until now, […]

Read the rest of this entry »

July 27, 2013 BEIRUT: The National Commission for Lebanese Women and the Friends of the Cedars Forest Commission in Bsharri signed a cooperation protocol Friday to plant a new cedar forest. The project entails planting 1,000 cedar trees in a 30,000 square meter area in the qada of Bsharri. Lebanese expatriates and tourists can sponsor […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By SHARON UDASIN 07/17/2013 18:32 Select Language​▼ Report says Israel Military Industries and Israel Aerospace Industries sites pose public health hazards that must be rectified. Polluted stream – illustrative photo Polluted stream – illustrative photo Photo: Zalul The long-standing failure of Israel Military Industries (IMI) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to rehabilitate areas polluted by […]

Read the rest of this entry »

The state comptroller cites problems such as a rocket-fuel ingredient polluting water used at orange orchards. By Zafrir Rinat | Jul. 18, 2013 A number of ministries have failed to address polluted soil and groundwater at Israel Military Industries sites in the Haifa and Rehovot areas, the state comptroller said in his report on security […]

Read the rest of this entry »

State Comptroller finds lack of law enforcement for traffic, construction violations, illegal theft of water in West Bank; reveals major shortage of ABC kits Yaron Druckman Published: 07.17.13, 19:47 / Israel News State Comptroller Judge Joseph Shapira has released his annual report Wednesday, revealing a string of failures in the field of security, specifically in […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Annual Palestinian loss of electricity increases debt to Israel by $70 million. Fear of Israel pulling plug, sinking Palestinian authority into darkness The Media Line Published: 07.18.13, 08:17 / Israel News RAMALLAH – During the pre-dawn hours in the holy month of Ramadan, while many are preparing a pre-dawn breakfast in preparation of the daylong-fast, […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By Zafrir Rinat | Jul. 18, 2013 Amid the plethora of environmental crises the world is facing, the disappearance of bee colonies has been pushed to the margins when it comes to public awareness. But in the long run, it is hard to ignore a problem that poses a threat to food production and will […]

Read the rest of this entry »