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

Sidon residents extracting copper to survive – Daily Star

By Mohammed Zaatari Tuesday, January 11, 2011 Sidon residents extracting copper to survive SIDON: Thick black smoke that covers the skies of the southern coastal city of Sidon is not always due to the burning of garbage or unused tires, but the result of a new street profession which consists of burning electricity cables to […]

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Finalists chosen for Zayed prize – The National (UAE)

Vesela Todorova Last Updated: Dec 23, 2010 Six contestants from a field of 40 made the final cut yesterday for the US$1.5 million (Dh5.5m) Zayed Future Energy Prize. A scientist, a policy maker, three private companies and a college that runs on solar power are finalists for next month’s competition. Dedicated to Sheikh Zayed, the […]

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State to use gas income to retire external debt – Haaretz

According to Sheshinski Committee, which submitted its recommendations on government royalty and tax policy for natural resource exploitation, offshore Tamar gas exploration site could generate average annual government revenues of NIS 2 to 3 billion for next 30 years. By Avi Bar-Eli The state’s future revenue from the sale of oil and natural gas will […]

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Pelagic confident about its gas leases – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON WROBEL 01/06/2011 23:30 Houston-based firm has 6 offshore exploration licenses in Israeli territorial waters. Pelagic Exploration Company, a Houston-based energy firm, has high expectations for the development of its six gas exploration licenses located in Israeli waters, despite the likelihood of having to pay higher royalties to the government. “Change is inevitable,” Pelagic […]

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Analysis: Gas firms will fight on for more concessions – Jerusalem Post

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS 01/04/2011 01:36 Excluding Tamar and Mary B might have given the Sheshinski Committee more leeway to get its other recommendations pushed through. Let’s pose a theoretical question: What would have happened if the Sheshinski Committee had recommended exempting the Tamar and Mary B gas fields from its restructuring of the tax […]

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‘This jeopardizes development of Israel’s largest project’ – Jerusalem Post

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS 01/06/2011 06:57 The Sheshinski C’tee’s recommendations on profit distribution are unfair, and run counter to Israel’s interests, gas exploration companies say. Israel’s gas market has soared to the top of the national agenda in recent weeks on the backs of the Sheshinski Committee recommendations and the dramatic findings related to the […]

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Is Israel on its way to becoming like Saudi Arabia or Iran? – Haaretz

The discovery of natural gas off Israel’s coast is likely to escalate anti-democratic tendencies in the country. By Sefi Rachlevsky It is very possible that Israel is on its way to becoming Saudi Arabia or Iran. The discovery of a store of natural gas in the Mediterranean Sea is likely to have significant implications for […]

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Forgotten in the gas rush – Haaretz

Israel’s reserves of natural gas and oil shale have the potential to end the country’s dependence on foreign energy sources and, in the case of substituting natural gas for other energy sources, of reducing a number of types of greenhouse gas emissions. By Zafrir Rinat A battle has been raging for several months over the […]

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UN: We will not intervene in maritime gas drilling dispute – Jerusalem Post

Lebanese FM Shami sends letter to Ban Ki-Moon, urging him to “prevent Israel from exploiting Lebanon’s oil and maritime wealth.” The United Nations on Wednesday said it will not determine the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon and will not interfere with gas drilling there, Army Radio reported quoting a UN spokesman. According to the […]

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Unifil says it cannot intervene over maritime border with Israel – Daily Star

U.N. refuses to act on Foreign Ministry request for action to stop Israel exploiting fossil fuels By Patrick Galey Daily Star staff Thursday, January 06, 2011 Listen to the Article – Powered by BEIRUT: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) said Wednesday it was not responsible for delineating a maritime border in the […]

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UN refuses Lebanon request to intervene in Israel gas drilling – Haaretz

Lebanese FM urged Ban Ki-moon to prevent Israel from exploiting Lebanon’s maritime wealth, but UN spokesman says it won’t demarcate border. The United Nations on Wednesday declined Lebanon’s request to protect the country’s natural gas reserves by demarcating its maritime border with Israel. Lebanese Foreign Minister Ali Shami sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban […]

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Israel confirms major gas find – Al Jazeera

Noble Energy, a US-based oil and gas firm, along with its Israeli exploration partners, have confirmed the discovery of a huge offshore gas field called Leviathan, 130km off the coast of the Mediterranean port of Haifa. Delek Energy, one of the Israeli partners, said on Wednesday that the discovery was the largest deepwater natural gas […]

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Wind, fire and political inertia take toll on environment – Daily Star

By Patrick Galey Friday, December 31, 2010 BEIRUT: Following the damp squib that was the Copenhagen climate change summit last December, Lebanon’s environmentally-minded lurched into 2010 not hoping for much. But even the most pessimistic of green campaigners could not have dared predict the damage the year would bring. Forest fires destroyed more than 2,000 […]

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2010 was hottest year in Israel’s recorded history – Jerusalem Post

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS 01/03/2011 Also one of the driest years, with no rainfall in November. The year 2010 was the hottest by a large margin since records began being kept in Israel, with temperatures two to three degrees hotter than the average, according to the Israel Meteorological Service’s year-end summary. What’s more, temperatures were […]

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Miyahuna encourages Amman residents to rethink water from the ground up – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa AMMAN – The Jordan Water Company (Miyahuna) is calling on residents of hilly neighbourhoods across the capital to install ground-level water tanks to boost their water supply. With the Miyahuna call centre receiving some 545 complaints each week regarding weak water supply, the company has launched an initiative to provide subscribers with […]

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Israel Corp unit inaugurates solar project – YNET

IC Green Projects says 2 megwatt solar energy project – country’s largest private solar field – to supply power to residents of southern Israel Reuters / Published: 01.01.11 A subsidiary of holding company Israel Corp says it has inaugurated a 2 megwatt solar energy project, the country’s largest private solar field, to supply power to […]

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Coping with the curse of natural gas – Jerusalem Post

12/03/2010 14:48 By DAVID ROSENBERG Israel’s reserves aren’t big enough to be a factor on the world energy market, but they are big enough to undermine the rest of our economy. The Chinese are reputed to traditionally offer their enemies the backhanded hope “may you live in interesting times.” They could wish their enemies much […]

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Leviathan Gas Discovery Could be The Mother of All Resource Curses – Green Prophet

Susan Kraemer | December 29th, 2010 | Today’s announcement from Noble Energy of its gigantic Leviathan gas find in disputed territory will exacerbate tensions in region They say that fossil fuel riches become a curse to any country that possess them. Where fossil fuels flow – corruption, reduced democracy and increased inequality follow. It is […]

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Gas royalties’ recommendations softened – YNET

Shishinsky Committee wants to raise royalty rates to 50%, down from earlier recommendation Avital Lahav Published: 01.03.11 Royalty rates to be paid by gas and oil drillers will not exceed 50%, the Shishinsky Committee recommended Monday, down from its earlier proposal of 60% in its interim report. Gas royalties’ recommendations softened Shishinsky Committee wants to […]

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Paz to supply fuel to Palestinians until end of 2012 – YNET

Major energy corporation renews contract following rumors PA considered termination. To date Paz earned $1.29 billion from exclusive deal Lior Gutman Published: 01.02.11, 09:12 / Israel Business Share on TwitterShare on Facebook share Israeli energy company Paz and its owner Zadik Bino renewed their contract with the Palestinian Authority for two more years. The contract […]

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