By Barry Malone ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopia on Wednesday said it planned to build a huge dam on the Nile despite a long-running row with Egypt over use of the river and concern the dispute may spark a war. The nine countries through which the river passes have for more than a decade been […]

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By Hana Namrouqa DEAD SEA – Water experts on Tuesday called on governments to apply cost-effective water demand management in light of shrinking water resources around the globe due to surging populations and changing climates. The experts agreed that sustainable solutions for the looming water crisis, represented by responsible and efficient water demand management systems, […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 03/31/2011 04:52 Green Movement leads 11th-hour protest in front of Knesset to save Arava Desert’s last remaining dunes. Israel’s Green Movement held a demonstration Wednesday afternoon in front of the Knesset calling for the government to revoke plans to mine Samar sand dunes, the Arava Desert’s last remaining dunes, which host a […]

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By EHUD ZION WALDOCKS 03/24/2011 02:49 Despite coming late to the party, the army is looking to turn its act around environmentally. Talkbacks (1) Vast tracts of land, millions of square meters of buildings and installations, hazardous materials, sewage, gas stations and infrastructure of all shapes and sizes, the IDF is the largest organization in […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 03/24/2011 05:20 Infrastructures Minister Landau recites ‘Shehecheyanu’ blessing, calling it a first step toward weaning the country from enemy resources. Talkbacks (6) Sitting in the back seat of a Renault Fluence Z.E. car during the five-minute battery exchange process, one hears only silence as the engine restarts. Better Place launched its first […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 03/30/2011 06:55 Most of the public buildings selected to receive the solar systems are schools and community centers. The Jerusalem Municipality issued a tender this week to Moriah Jerusalem Development Company to construct 50 new solar energy systems on the rooftops of public buildings, which will cost the company NIS 35 million, […]

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By : Mohamed El-Ashry In 1992, the international community gathered in Rio to offer a vision for a more sustainable future. At that meeting, two new international environmental agreements were opened for signature: the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. At the UN Millennium Summit in 2000 and […]

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The time has come to say it’s not enough: to maximize the country’s profits, to leverage the gas and ensure that it lasts, the government needs to make the new Sheshinski law a basis for action, not a fig leaf. By Avi Bar-Eli 1. It’s rare we have a chance to praise our elected officials […]

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I – Introduction A. The sorry state of the power sector in Lebanon has become a major impediment to economic development, putting undue burden on the efficiency and cost structure of Lebanese producers. No less dramatically, it still denies Lebanon’s citizens uninterrupted and affordable power supply. B. Following numerous studies over the years, technical problems […]

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The state has presented the High Court of Justice a reply to a petition against the construction of a water purification plant for the settlement of Ofra on land that is privately owned by Palestinians. By Zafrir Rinat I would like to introduce you to the principle of relative cancellation – a legal rule that […]

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Economic Benefits of Access to a Healthy Lower Jordan River for Palestinian Economy FoEME has undertaken this report with the aim to highlight the importance of a healthy Jordan River for the economic benefits of the West Bank, and to foster Palestinian political and public support for the rehabilitation of this historical river. Six development […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 03/24/2011 06:08 Life and Environment NGO to present this year’s seven “Green Globe” winners – and “a black one.” Amiad Lapidot spent November 2004 knocking on his neighbors’ doors in Moshav Kerem Maharal on the Carmel, distributing buckets to collect organic waste he then turned into compost for his farm. Nearly seven […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 03/23/2011 07:15 Scientists, business leaders, policymakers gather to discuss consumption, innovation, global preparedness in face of looming energy crisis. By the year 2050, an estimated global population of 10 billion will demand approximately two-and-ahalf times the amount of energy consumed today, a challenge that one European nonprofit organization says can be solved […]

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Unipack insists it is abiding by regulations, blames municipality for sewage on beach By Simona Sikimic Daily Star staff Friday, March 25, 2011 Listen to the Article – Powered by Environmental activists block pipe they say is pumping toxic waste into sea HALAT: Environmental activists Thursday blocked an industrial pipe allegedly spewing toxic waste into […]

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BEIRUT: A major cleanup effort from the Civil Defense Force Thursday recovered more than 20,000 liters of kerosene following warnings by environmental officials that a spill offshore from a major oil depot could become a major environmental disaster. The spill, which occurred Wednesday as a fuel tanker was sending kerosene along an underwater pipeline to […]

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A change in energy strategy would significantly reduce the cost of fuel for electricity generation as well as Israel’s dependence on imports; National Economic Council head says state is major shareholder, so tax breaks make sense. By Avi Bar-Eli s the government prepares to welcome a new royalty regime for the extraction of natural resources, […]

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By REBECCA ANNA STOIL AND NADAV SHEMER 03/23/2011 23:49 Knesset Finance C’tee passes bill on taxation of natural gas, oil resources; intensive lobbying by PM, Steinitz garners enough support. The so-called Sheshinski bill on the taxation of Israel’s natural gas and oil resources passed its second and third plenum readings in the Knesset Finance Committee […]

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By Hana Namrouqa AMMAN – Water sector experts and decision makers on Thursday called for stricter enforcement of water-related laws and regulations for better protection of Jordan’s scant water resources. They said laws and regulations protecting the country’s water resources exist, but criticised their weak enforcement, which allows for violations and thus depletion of the […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 03/28/2011 23:46 Water conference covers broad spectrum of both local and global topics, including preparation for climatic change. Israel provides a key example of how countries should manage their water infrastructure in coming years, as national populations increase at unprecedented speeds and governments grapple with the need to combat water scarcity, according […]

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Environment minister issues hefty fines, will close four guilty firms. By Ora Coren Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan is going after polluters with heavy fines and other actions. He is also pushing new laws to make Israeli industry, transportation and energy production greener. Erdan also thinks it is necessary to expand the authority of his […]

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