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 May, 2015

Experts call for urgent construction of wastewater treatment facilities in West Bank – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN 05/25/2015 Cross-border study finds presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals minimal in Israeli, Palestinian treated wastewater. Although the presence of chemicals that disrupt the endocrine glands that produce some hormones is minimal in both Israeli and Palestinian treated wastewater, facilities that perform such treatment in the West Bank are problematically scarce, experts agreed […]

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UPDATE: Israeli Forces Order Demolition of Water Reservoir, Home in Hebron – WAFA

HEBRON, May 26, 2015 (WAFA) – Israeli forces handed Tuesday two local residents of al-Kom locality and Idhna town to the southwest and west of Hebron respectively orders to demolish their properties, said local municipal sources. Sources from Al-Yasiriya Municipality said that an Israeli army force and ‘Civil Administration’ officers broke into al-Kom locality and […]

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Israel ‘refusing’ to repair disconnected Gaza electricity grid – Ma’an

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Gaza’s electricity distributor has accused Israel of refusing to repair a 12 megawatt grid supplying power to Gaza City that became disconnected in Israeli-controlled territory on Thursday. The Gaza Electricity Distribution Corporation said in a statement on Tuesday that the loss of the al-Qubba electricity grid was having a serious effect […]

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Climate Change Impacts: Egypt – Egypt Independent

The Nile Delta is the world’s second place threatened to sink Author: Al-Masry Al-Youm Mahmoud Samy, Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, said the Nile Delta is the world’s second place most threatened to sink, adding that Egypt is keen to face climate change with technology. He told the Middle East […]

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Inside Iran: water shortage reaches ‘critical levels’ – Al Arabiyah

By Salma Elshahed | Al Arabiya News Sunday, 24 May 2015 Iran is heading towards a serious water crisis, experts warn, saying that a booming population and water-intensive agricultural programs have led the Islamic Republic’s supply to reach “critical levels” this year. The sixth report of a new series by Al Arabiya News Channel takes […]

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KKL-JNF installs second Biofilter mechanism to trap runoff in Ramle – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN 05/24/2015 Developed by Israeli researcher Yaron Zinger at Monash University in Australia, successful tests of the Biofilter have been completed already in Kfar Saba in 2010. Aiming to salvage rainwater, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael- Jewish National Fund has completed the installation of a “Biofilter” system in Ramle on Wednesday. This is the second […]

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Aqaba developer launches major private solar power project – Jordan Times

AMMAN — A major developer in Aqaba on Tuesday connected a 3.2 megawatt (MW) solar power plant to the national electricity grid, launching one of the largest private renewable energy projects in the region. Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Chief Commissioner Hani Mulki acted as patron at a ceremony held by Ayla Oasis to […]

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Taxi company to switch to hybrid, electric vehicles – Jordan Times

by Muath Freij | May 24, 2015 Taxi Moumayaz will replace 300 cars with hybrid vehicles and up to 100 cars with electric vehicles, under an agreement signed with the Greater Amman Municipality (Photo by Osama Aqarbeh) AMMAN — Noor Jordan for Transport — Taxi Moumayaz will start operating hybrid vehicles in the next three […]

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Sidon students sail toward cleaner shores – Daily Star

Mohammed Zaatari| The Daily Star SIDON, Lebanon: Students from a local school in Sidon have built an environmentally friendly boat made of recycled materials, as part of a city-wide initiative to promote a cleaner environment. Students from the Environmental Club at Al-Iman High School Thursday sailed off Sidon’s coast in a small boat of their […]

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Environmentalists claim victory as sand mining to stop at Samar – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN 05/27/2015 In the past, the Samar sands area encompassed about 7 sq. km., of which only about 1.9 sq. km. remains today, the INPA said. To the satisfaction of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA), the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) has agreed to cease mining sands in the Samar region of […]

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‘Diversified energy resources key to meeting Kingdom’s needs’ – Jordan Times

by Mohammad Ghazal | May 22, 2015 AMMAN — Energy-poor Jordan cannot rely solely on renewable resources to resolve its energy crisis and stem its rising power bill, which consumes 18 per cent of the gross domestic product, according to energy experts. The Kingdom, which annually imports 97 per cent of its energy needs, has […]

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No room for environment minister in Israel’s housing cabinet – Haaretz / Jerusalem Post

Green concerns already sprouting as Environmental Protection Minister Avi Gabbay takes post. By Zafrir Rinat | May 20, 2015 Environmental Protection Minister Avi Gabbay (Kulanu) assumed his new position at the beginning of the week, but environmental organizations already have cause for concern. At present, Gabbay will not be a member of the housing cabinet, […]

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Jordan to sign two deals within nuclear power plant project — Toukan – Jordan Times

by Mohammad Ghazal | May 20, 2015 AMMAN — Jordan and Russia’s Rosatom will sign two agreements within the next two weeks necessary for the completion of the plan to build the country’s first nuclear power plant, according to Jordan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Khaled Toukan. The first agreement covers the water cooling studies of […]

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Report calls for Israeli firms that produce hazardous waste pay for its disposal – Haaretz

Environmental Protection Ministry looking to help ailing waste disposal industry by charging companies that produce waste, and allowing waste to be exported for recycling. By Zafrir Rinat | May 18, 2015 A comprehensive report on Israel’s treatment of hazardous waste recommends imposing a fee on the companies that produce such waste to cover the costs […]

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Illegal reservoir causes heavy flooding in Aqoura – Daily Star

BEIRUT: A large man-made irrigation pond in the Jbeil district village of Aqoura burst Wednesday, with the force of the gushing water washing away two other reservoirs, causing heavy flooding in the area. “It’s a disaster,” Aqoura Mayor Simon Merheb told The Daily Star by telephone. He said the floods swamped vast areas, causing extensive […]

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Water sector rife with corruption: Nazarian – Daily Star

BEIRUT: The level of precipitation in Lebanon should be more than enough for the country, Energy Minister Arthur Nazarian said Friday, implying that management issues were to blame for recurring shortages. “Lebanon enjoys four times the levels of precipitation that it needs, and even with this citizens still suffer from problems related to water scarcity,” […]

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Israeli technology offers solutions to future agricultural problems – YNET

The tough agricultural conditions in Israel forced its people to find innovative ways to farm, which could help deal with ever-increasing global demand for food. The Media Line Published: 05.15.15 Ten billion people. That is the number of mouths that farmers will have to feed in another two decades. In order to do this food […]

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Energy analysts launch Lebanese oil, gas NGO – Daily Star

BEIRUT: A group of Lebanese energy analysts has founded an NGO to promote civil awareness and government transparency about Lebanon’s potential oil and gas industry. The Lebanese Gas & Oil Initiative reached its first crowdsourcing goal of $10,000 within three weeks, and its first project is to bring together a global network of experts, from […]

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In Pictures: Lebanon’s dying fishing industry – Al Jazeera

see http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2014/09/pictures-lebanon-dying-fishing-in-2014989111054837.html for visuals Plagued by pollution, over-fishing and rapid development along the coast, Lebanon’s fishermen struggle to make a living. David Shaw | 20 Sep 2014 09:45 GMT | Environment, Middle East, Lebanon Beirut, Lebanon – For thousands of years, Lebanon’s coastline has been a vital source of sustenance for local residents. But privatisation […]

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Fishermen urged not to hunt sharks in Aqaba – Jordan Times

Although sharks can be found in the Gulf of Aqaba, they are not an indigenous species and thus are not supposed to be hunted, Aqaba Marine Park (AMP) Director Abdullah Abu Awali said on Wednesday. A local fisherman in Aqaba, 330km south of Amman, reportedly caught an over three-metre-long shark this week and displayed it […]

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