An explosion in a gas well in the Israeli town of Eilat sent strong emissions of gas all over Aqaba late Wednesday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The agency quoted an official source as saying that concerned parties were following up on the incident, pointing out that different amounts of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) had […]

Read the rest of this entry »

David Lehrer The disastrous oil spill which occurred Wednesday night in the Arava valley was caused by maintenance work on the Eilat Ashkelon Oil Pipeline in preparation for the building of the new international airport outside of Eilat. The pipeline brings oil from the port of Eilat to the refineries and power stations in the […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Food Security is the seventh in the series of annual reports on the state of Arab environment, produced by the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED). The report highlights the need for more efficient management of the agriculture and water sectors, in view of enhancing the prospects of food security. This report comes after […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Times and policies have changed, and this week’s decision to turn part of Palmahim beach into a national park instead of a vacation resort marks a major change. Yet threats from tourism to Israel’s open beaches and coastline remain By Zafrir Rinat | Dec. 3, 2014 The peaceful hill at the northern end of the […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Planning commission debates consequences of proposed Sde Barir project near Arad. By Zafrir Rinat | Dec. 3, 2014 Currently in Israel, the Clean Air Law is being exploited to sanction air pollution and appropriate testing is not being conducted to gauge the impact of this pollution – so said the Health Ministry Tuesday at a […]

Read the rest of this entry »

The recent breakup of the solar power consortium Desertec has been a huge disappointment to the renewable energy community. The idea was to create a pan-European North African, even Middle East energy grid with solar energy collected in the MENA region which could then be shipped via cables to Europe. Despite the Desertec collapse, Europeans […]

Read the rest of this entry »

The 35th Annual Birding Lecture Day is dedicated to the changes to Israel’s bird populations in the last 130 years, including the somewhat controversial Palestinian sunbird. By Zafrir Rinat | Dec. 4, 2014 Nature in Israel has seen many upheavals since Jewish immigration began in earnest in 1882. The Society for the Protection of Nature […]

Read the rest of this entry »

editor’s note: The full report is available at http://www.afedonline.org/en/inner.aspx?contentID=1076 Amman, 27 November 2014 The Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) concluded its seventh annual conference on Arab food security. Held in Amman under the patronage of his majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, the conference brought together 750 delegates from 54 countries, representing […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Lobbying by manufacturers and importers of the plastic bags is impeding the proposed legislation’s passage. By Avi Bar-Eli | Nov. 27, 2014 The highly publicized Knesset bill that would ban free distribution by supermarkets of plastic bags seems to have little prospect of passing in its current form. The proposed legislation was touted as an […]

Read the rest of this entry »

28 Nov 2014 The United Nations has declared a state of emergency in the Gaza Strip after two days of heavy rains and flooding in the war-battered enclave. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) declared the state of emergency in Gaza City on Thursday, after torrential rain overwhelmed some areas and caused flooding. “Hundreds […]

Read the rest of this entry »

REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PLANT INAUGURATED IN BURJ BARAJNEH CAMP 28 November 2014 Beirut UNRWA has inaugurated a new reverse osmosis water plant in Burj Barajneh camp, Beirut. The plant will improve the quantity, quality and affordability of water in the camp, as well as access to potable water. This development forms part of UNRWA efforts […]

Read the rest of this entry »

AMMAN — Jordan will witness a steady increase in temperatures, more dry spells and a drop in precipitation during the coming decades as the impact of climate change becomes more apparent, according to the Third National Communication on Climate Change. Temperatures are expected to rise by 1.5°C-2.5°C by the year 2050, while precipitation in the […]

Read the rest of this entry »

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), earlier this month, successfully completed the transfer of a Nubian Ibex herd to Wadi Rum nature reserve, where the herd will remain in a controlled environment that will allow them to adapt to the new habitat before their final release into the wild. The transfer came following a […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Najib Saab| The Daily Star Arabs import half of what they need in terms of basic foodstuffs. Agricultural production in the Arab countries faces tremendous challenges – mainly drought, limited arable land, scarce water resources and accelerated population growth, all amid the adverse impact of climate change. However, Arab countries have largely failed to adequately […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Nov 26, 2014 AMMAN — The Arab region, which imports about half of its food needs, can boost its food production primarily by improving productivity and irrigation efficiency, in addition to regional cooperation, according to a report that will be launched in Amman on Wednesday. The 2014 annual report by the Arab Forum for Environment […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Mohamed Badraoui 10/11/2014 In Morocco, agriculture is a strategic sector, economically and socially. It plays major roles in terms of food security and nutrition, supply for agro-industry, employment, integration into the international markets, stabilization of populations in rural areas, and sustainable development. Main Features of Agriculture in Morocco Food supply in Morocco, which is a […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Mohammed Zaatari| The Daily Star NABATIEH, Lebanon: A campaign to plant a million trees in south Lebanon, the “Tree for Every Citizen” project, was launched Monday by numerous associations under the patronage of Agriculture Minister Akram Chehayeb. The Green without Borders, Amal Baladi and Generations for Peace organizations launched the project with a ceremony held […]

Read the rest of this entry »

BEIRUT: Koura’s natural resources are at risk of disappearing due to several environmental breaches carried out in north Lebanon, MP Fadi Karam warned Monday, calling for action to end these violations. “It’s as if some greedy people are fed up with watching the Koura greenery, so they surrounded it with projects that aren’t suitable for […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Samar Kadi| The Daily Star BEIRUT: Ecotourism, a new global trend that enables people to travel and explore nature while minimizing their impact on the environment, is a big challenge in Lebanon, a country where concrete structures are mushrooming at the expense of green areas at an alarming pace. Decades of conflicts, uncontrolled urbanization, mining […]

Read the rest of this entry »

BEIRUT: Health Minister Wael Abu Faour ordered the closure of all unlicensed water companies selling bottled potable water Thursday, a day after revealing that the water they supplied was contaminated and carried traces of sewage, ministerial sources told The Daily Star. “Regardless of the quality of water being supplied and whether we have tested that […]

Read the rest of this entry »