GAZA — Gaza will no longer be “liveable” by 2020 unless urgent action is taken to improve water supply, power, health, and schooling, the United Nations’ most comprehensive report on the Palestinian enclave said on Monday. “Action needs to be taken now if Gaza is to be a liveable place in 2020 and it is […]

Read the rest of this entry »

August 24, 2012 BEIRUT: Greenpeace Lebanon warned Thursday that there are hundreds of dangerous chemicals in the waters off the country, which pose dangers to people and the environment. A total of 30 samples were collected for the study and the environmental watchdog’s new report shows that the pollution is highest in Beirut, Tripoli and […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Environmental Protection Ministry raises concerns over sensitive facility’s fortification; severe impact should it suffer a missile hit Amir Ben-David Published: 08.22.12 State Comptroller Joseph Shapira is set to review the security and fortification arrangements set in place for the Haifa Bay ammonia depository, Yedioth Ahronoth reported. The ammonia depository is considered one of the major […]

Read the rest of this entry »

August 27, 2012 01:17 AM By Mohammed Zaatari KFOUR, Lebanon: Dozens of residents of the southern village of Kfour blocked access to a newly established dump in a nearby valley over the weekend, pledging to protest until a deal is struck to relocate the waste. The new dump was opened last week in the Kfour […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Big businesses claim environmental regulations too strict; Environment Protection Ministry insists law on par with other nations worldwide; public health must come first News agencies Published: 08.23.12 Are Israel’s industry environmental regulations driving local industries out of the country? Many businesses would say yes. Israel adheres to the same environmental regulations practiced by the European […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Environmental Protection Ministry says military insists on dealing with hazardous material despite being ill-equipped Amir Ben-David Published: 08.26.12 The Environmental Protection Ministry warned recently that IDF soldiers are required to deal with asbestos without the appropriate protective gear. Asbestos is an extremely hazardous material. Its carcinogenic properties have resulted in a ban on its use […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By MELANIE LIDMAN 08/27/2012 The 2,000-square-meter facility will focus on the academic study of sustainability. Jerusalem will soon be home to an environmental studies institution from the Council for a Beautiful Israel, donated by a former deputy mayor of New York City. Robert Price, an attorney who served as deputy mayor under John Lindsay in […]

Read the rest of this entry »

New bill mandates formation of government firm tasked with preventing seaside cliff erosion; cliff stabilization efforts to cost half billion shekels Zvi Lavi Published: 08.27.12, The Knesset recently approved a bill presented by the Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan, which intends to protect the stability of the seaside cliffs that face the Mediterranean Sea. The […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By MICHAEL M. COHEN 08/20/2012 Using force against a helpless, weak civilian population stands in opposition to Jewish and humanitarian values. Since 1996 the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies has brought some 700 Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian and international undergraduate and graduate students together on its Kibbutz Ketura campus, where they have been provided with the […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Steven Viney Mon, 20/08/2012 A Hurghada-based environmental association has received warnings of an increased risk of coral bleaching in the Red Sea caused by higher temperatures in August. Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel an important algae that usually provides up to 90 percent of the coral’s nourishment. The loss of this nourishment results in […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Water levels at Israel’s main freshwater reservoir drop 26 inches since May; expected to experience further drop before winter 08.24.12 The water levels in Lake Kinneret – the Sea of Galilee – which is Israel’s main freshwater reservoir have experienced a disconcerting drop of 26 inches in three months, according to the Water Authority. The […]

Read the rest of this entry »

by Hana Namrouqa | Aug 23, 2012 AMMAN — Reservoirs and control towers are being erected in the Kingdom’s forests in the north to curb illegal logging and forest fires, which have destroyed over 4,000 trees this year, according to officials. Under a plan to address the rising number of violations on the Kingdom’s shrinking […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By NADAV SHEMER 08/24/2012 Simhon protests over not being included in discussion over how to manage Israel’s natural gas resources. Political wrangling over the Tzemach Committee’s conclusions on how to manage Israel’s natural gas resources has begun, even though the final report is yet to be published. Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Shalom Simhon voiced […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Waste treatment plants are already generating electricity in six sites around Israel, but obstacles prevent wider use of the ultimate ‘green’ technology. By Itai Trilnick | Aug.24, 2012 A political island in the energy-rich Middle East, Israel has long feared for its energy security. That’s part of the reason the discovery of offshore natural gas […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By SHARON UDASIN 08/20/2012 CEO Glickman: Addition of 125 new megawatts will help bridge gaps in dwindling reserves. A month ahead of schedule, the Israel Electric Corporation has completed work and grid synchronization of a 375-megawatt combined-cycle power plant. The plant, called the Zafit power station, is located near Kfar Menahem in the country’s south-central […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Lebanon to name board for launch of offshore oil, gas bidding process – Daily Star Lebanese natural gas wealth significant: Spectrum – Daily Star Lebanon to name board for launch of offshore oil, gas bidding process – Daily Star August 24, 2012 01:29 AM By Nayla Razzouk Lebanon’s Cabinet is in the final stages of […]

Read the rest of this entry »

By SHARON UDASIN 08/22/2012 Sea Wave Power Plants is in the final stages of building its second power station in Guangzhou, China A cliff north of Herzliya Photo: Sharon Udasin An Israeli firm that aims to harness the natural energy provided by sea waves as they lap the shore is in the final stages of […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Israeli innovation could make water drinkable in Africa – YNET Israel to help restore Lake Victoria -YNET Israel, Germany, Kenya sign commercial fishing pact – Jerusalem Post Israeli innovation could make water drinkable in Africa – YNET Many nations find desalination facilities costly to install, but a recent Israeli discovery may spell a more affordable […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Solar project pioneer shuts planned solar field down after ILA raises land lease fees; says pursuing project has become economically unfeasible Lior Guttman, Calcalist Published: 08.17.12 SunPower, which specializes in constructing and maintaining solar systems, announced over the weekend that it is pulling out of the giant solar project it has been heading over the […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Raghda Mohamed Thu, 16/08/2012 “Egypt, the gift of the Nile” is a phrase coined by the Greek historian Herodotus 3,000 years ago in his book about Egypt. His description continues to be true today, as Egypt is the only place in the world where a river cuts across a thousand miles of desert, creating a […]

Read the rest of this entry »