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, 2013

State approves drilling for oil in area earmarked as marine nature reserve – Haaretz

Committee rejects objections to the plans submitted by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and Zalul, the Israeli environmental association. By Zafrir Rinat | Jan.15, 2013 The Tel Aviv District Planning Committee approved on Monday a plan to conduct experimental drilling in a search for oil some 19 kilometers off the coast […]

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With Tu Bishvat near, a tree grows in Zichron Yaakov – Haaretz

With Tu Bishvat around the corner, a new immigrant from England is planning a tribute to her great-great-grandfather, who started the tradition of planting trees on Jewish Arbor Day. By Judy Maltz | Jan.24, 2013 The tradition of planting trees on Tu Bishvat, the Jewish equivalent of Arbor Day, was started back in 1890 by […]

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LNG gas to start flowing into Israel – Jerusalem Post

SHARON UDASIN 01/24/2013 Israel Natural Gas Lines (INGL) has completed construction of a marine liquefied natural gas receiving buoy, from which the flow of gas into Israel’s transmission lines is slated to begin on Friday. Energy officials at a launching ceremony on Thursday hailed the buoy as capable of relieving the country’s gas shortage until […]

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Israel’s worst impending environmental crisis: traffic – Haaretz

Israel’s main metropolitan area is way behind in public transportation compared to European cities, and traffic is expected to worsen significantly in the coming years. By Zafrir Rinat | Jan.24, 2013 Among the environmental crises to confront Israel in the coming years, the transportation crisis might be the worst. At a recent conference held by […]

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Is the Red Sea-Dead Sea canal about to become reality? – Haaretz

The plan, estimated to cost almost $10 billion, has raised concerns among environmentalists in both Jordan and Israel. By Zafrir Rinat | Jan.16, 2013 After almost a decade of arguments over the feasibility of a proposed pipeline between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, the World Bank released a series of reports over the […]

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New book: Environmental Politics in Egypt: Activists, Experts, and the State

Environmental Politics in Egypt: Activists, Experts, and the State (Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Politics, 2012) http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415783002/ Based on extensive fieldwork from the late 1990s to 2011, the book shows how environmental experts and activists sought to influence state policies and corporate behavior.  The book analyzes donor-sponsored projects, popular campaigns, and public controversies to show […]

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World Bank: Red-Dead pipeline is feasible – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN 01/17/2013 Project connecting the two seas would be an environmental disaster, green activists warn. While there may be environmental and social impacts on the region, a trilateral plan to construct a 180-kilometer pipeline transporting water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea is feasible, a World Bank study has determined. After […]

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Environment issues high on agendas of tickets, absent from programmes of individual candidates – Jordan Times

by Hana Namrouqa | Jan 17, 2013 | 21:43 AMMAN — Addressing environment pollution and poor waste management as well as applying better rainwater harvesting dominate the agendas of national tickets competing for next week’s parliamentary elections. Agendas of the national lists feature some of Jordan’s “key water and environment issues”, while local constituency candidates […]

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Going green via government policy – YNET

Environmental issues are being kept on the sidelines of election campaign, but green groups offer series of new measures that the new government can implement to make Israel more eco-friendly Billie Frenkel Published: 01.16.13 New green-growth indices, green taxation and eco-friendly job offers – these are just some of the measures Israel’s green groups plan […]

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Israel joins UN protocol on air pollution – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN, MICHAEL WILNER IN NEW YORK 01/17/2013 Israel commits to granting public access to transparent emissions data in acceding to protocol on air pollution release, monitoring. In a commitment to grant the public access to transparent emissions data, Israel acceded this week to a UN protocol on air pollution release and monitoring. The […]

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Jaffa fisherman to be compensated for sewage spill – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN 01/17/2013 Fisherman to receive NIS 1 million for 2009 incident in which sewage pipe spilled into Or Yehuda, surroundings. Fishermen at Jaffa Port affected by a 2009 sewage spill will be receiving NIS 1 million in compensation for their work loss, the Tel Aviv District Court announced on Wednesday. The incident in […]

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Sidon waste treatment plant fully operational – Daily Star

January 14, 2013 02:01 AM By Mohammed Zaatari SIDON, Lebanon: Sidon’s infamous dump will finally be shut in mid-March, Future parliamentary bloc head Fouad Siniora said Sunday, as a waste treatment plant that he said will set an example for the country begins to function at full capacity. Touring the new waste treatment plant in […]

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Canadian firm to dredge, purify Kishon River – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN 01/15/2013 Sewege giant to dredge Kishon riverbed, purify sediments to turn polluted waterway into oasis for northern residents. A Canadian sewage giant will be dredging the Kishon riverbed and purifying its sediments in an effort to turn Israel’s once most polluted waterway into an oasis for the country’s northern residents, government authorities […]

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Mongolian delegation visits Ramat Hovav – YNET

Ulan-Bator mission visits Israel to learn about treatment methods for contaminated water, soil Ynetnews Published: 01.14.13 A delegation from Mongolia’s Ministry of Environment and Green Development is hoping to take home practical lessons from a recent visit to Israel. According to the Environmental Protection Ministry the Ulan-Bator mission visited Israel in late December as guests […]

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One seedling at a time, Lebanese work together to reforest – Daily Star

January 18, 2013 01:29 AM By Olivia Alabaster AINATA/MEQNE, Lebanon: One hundred years ago this hill at the foot of Mount Makmel in northern Lebanon was covered in vineyards. But continuous rural to urban migration in the years since left the vines untended, and the trees died. The hill was left bare. Ainata, the adjacent […]

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Two main polluting industries, cement and charcoal, pledge to reduce emissions – Egypt Independent

by Kira Walker, Published: 15/01/2013 The 11th Panel Discussion of the Cairo Climate Talks was held last night at the Youth Leaders/Civic Education Center in Zamalek to discuss emissions reduction and clean development mechanisms (CDMs) in Egypt. Titled “Reducing Emissions in Egypt –– CDM Put into Practise,” the event presented two up and running CDM […]

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Arabs, Jews protest against environmental hazard – YNET

Two arrested during protest against plans to set up cement factory that will increase pollution in Qalansawe industrial zone Hassan Shaalan Published: 01.13.1 Hundreds of Jewish and Arab residents of Shaar Efraim, Qalansawe and Nitzanei Oz protested against an environmental hazard at the Qalansawe industrial zone on Sunday. Two demonstrators were arrested following clashes between […]

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Gaza farmers visit Eshkol agricultural expo – YNET

Thirty farmers from Strip visit agricultural expo in western Negev; say there’s ‘more to Gaza than militants and rockets’ Elior Levy Published: 01.11.1 Some 30 Gaza farmers participated in an agricultural expo held in the Eshkol Regional Council last week, despite the hostile relations between Israel and the Strip’s government, run by Hamas. “Agriculture knows […]

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Demographic opportunity strategy faces challenges — report – Jordan Times

by Khetam Malkawi | Jan 12, 2013 | 21:22 AMMAN — Jordan is unlikely to reduce its birthrate to 2.1 births per woman by 2030, according to a report issued recently by the Higher Population Council (HPC). The report, which analyses population indicators from 2007-2011, showed that during the period under study, the birthrate in […]

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Major dams almost half full after wet week – Jordan Times

by Hana Namrouqa | Jan 12, 2013 AMMAN – Ninety million cubic metres (mcm) of water entered the country’s major dams over the past five days, boosting storage at the reservoirs to 45 per cent of their total capacity, according to official figures. The major dams now hold 146.6mcm of their total capacity of 325 […]

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