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, 2017

new publication: RIVER OUT OF EDEN: WATER, ECOLOGY AND THE JORDAN RIVER IN THE ABRAHAMIC TRADITIONS – Ecopeace

This is a toolkit intended to help multi-faith communities around the world learn about the condition of the Jordan River and join the efforts to rehabilitate the once mighty river. The first section describes the demise of the Jordan River, what went wrong, and why it matters. The second section provides a compilation of writings […]

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Environmental NGOs urge seat at the table for policymaking – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa – May 07,2017 AMMAN — Representatives of the country’s 124 environmental NGOs on Sunday urged the government to engage with the civil society in environment-related decision making. At their first national conference, the country’s environmental NGOs called on the government to consult with them in the environmental decision making process, claiming that […]

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More than 8,500 electricity theft cases reported in 4 months – Jordan Times

By JT – May 13,2017 AMMAN — A total of 8,554 electricity thefts have been detected between the beginning of the year and the end of April, 4,096 of which have been discovered by the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC), according to its chief commissioner. The cases detected by EMRC in the January-April period […]

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King inaugurates JD400m solar energy projects – Jordan Times

Projects assert Jordan’s role as regional energy hub — King By JT – May 14,2017 His Majesty King Abdullah inaugurated several solar energy projects, worth more than JD400 million, in the southern governorates on Sunday (Photo courtesy of the Royal Court) AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday inaugurated several solar energy projects, which […]

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Jordan, Germany see ‘untapped potential’ of renewable energy to boost cooperation – Jordan Times

By Dana Al Emam – May 14,2017 AMMAN — The fields of renewable energy and energy efficiency are of particular importance for boosting business relations between Jordan and Germany, stakeholders from the two countries agreed on Sunday. Speakers at the second Jordanian-German Renewables Day highlighted the untapped potentials that can merge Jordan’s plans to increase […]

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Zarqa refinery expansion agreement signed by Honeywell UOP, JPRC – Jordan Times

By JT – May 10,2017 AMMAN — Honeywell UOP on Tuesday announced the signing of an agreement with the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company (JPRC) to facilitate a $1.6 billion expansion of its refinery in Zarqa. The expansion will increase the capacity of the facility to 120,000 barrels per day and allow JPRC to upgrade the […]

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Jordan should allow third party electricity production to boost sector — report – Jordan Times

By Dana Al Emam – May 13,2017 The Arab Future Energy Index seeks to monitor and analyse sustainable energy competitiveness in the Arab region(Photo courtesy of the 2016 Arab Future Energy Index Renewable Energy) AMMAN — While Jordan has achieved “substantial” progress in attracting investments in the renewable energy sector, allowing third party supply of […]

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Lag Ba’Omer air pollution levels reach 10.9 times normal values – Jerusalem Post

By SHARON UDASIN 05/15/2017 Air pollution levels soar across the country as Israelis celebrate Lag Ba’Omer festival. After Israelis kindled Lag Ba’Omer bonfires for the second night in a row on Sunday, air pollution levels climbed to up to 10.9 times greater than typical values in areas around the country. The nation’s skies filled with […]

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Environmentally friendly Lag B’Omer as kids light less bonfires – YNET

Several municipalities lead initiatives to bring together classes for one bonfire instead of many separate ones; meanwhile, outcry over shortage of buses to Meron for hillula. Meir Turgeman, Isaac Dabush, Itzchak Tessler|Published: 10.05.17 , 12:36 Lag B’Omer, a Jewish festival celebrated with the lighting of bonfires, will be a little more environmentally friendly this year […]

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Global panel on water and peace meets in Amman, finalising report – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa – May 03,2017 AMMAN — The Global High Level Panel on Water and Peace on Wednesday held its final meeting before submitting its report recommending a new framework to create positive linkages between water, peace and security. The panel’s fourth and final meeting before the report’s submission to the UN in September […]

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Climate change: An existential threat to Israel, the US and the world – Jerusalem Post

ByRICHARD H. SCHWARTZ May 2, 2017 21:23 Averting a potential climate catastrophe should be a central focus of civilization today, in order to leave a livable world for future generations. I generally find articles by Jerusalem Post op-ed editor Seth Frantzman to be well-reasoned, insightful and informative. So I was disappointed and saddened to read […]

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Terra Incognita: Plan for, don’t gripe about, climate change – Jerusalem Post

BySeth J. Frantzman April 24, 2017 21:28 You can’t keep back the ocean. Instead of whining and griping about storm surges, why not plan for ocean levels rising several inches? There are over 5,000 km. of ice roads in Canada, according to a recent report in The New York Times. And all is not well […]

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Israel officially in drought year – YNET

For the fourth year in a row, Israel’s northern region is suffering from drought, and the state of the Kinneret, which was once the main source of drinkable water in the country, is only getting drier; Water Authority mulls plan to pump desalinated water in an effort to save the lake. Amir Ben-David|Published: 04.05.17 , […]

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Israeli Firm Looking to Help Solve $40-billion Plastics Problem – Haaretz

InfiMer Technologies is leading Israeli efforts to increase ability to recycle plastics and reduce waste that pollutes the planet Zafrir Rinat Apr 21, 2017 12:31 AM To paraphrase “The Graduate,” the Israeli company InfiMer Technologies is aiming to prove there’s a great future in recycled plastics. Plastics pollutes almost the entire planet, including the oceans, […]

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Israeli Experts Fear Invasion of Yellow Crazy Ant That Wreaks Havoc on Crops – Haaretz

Environmentalists cite the East Asian insect as one of eight invasive species Israel must defend itself against Zafrir Rinat May 03, 2017 2:20 AM A small ant from East Asia, dubbed “nature’s bully,” is keeping Israeli environmental groups awake at night. The ant, whose official name is the yellow crazy ant, has in recent years […]

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Bedouin community gets its Japanese funded solar panel system – WAFA

BETHLEHEM, May 4, 2017 (WAFA) – Ceremonies were held on Thursday marking the completion of the installation of a solar panel system in al-Rawaein Bedouin community in the Bethlehem government funded by the government of Japan, according to a press release. Japan’s Representative to Palestine, Takeshi Okubo, visited al-Rawaein to celebrate the completion of the […]

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Second phase of Ruseifa water networks’ renovation project launched – Jordan Times

By JT – May 05,2017 – AMMAN — Water Minister Hazem Nasser on Thursday inaugurated the second phase of a project to renovate water networks in Ruseifa, 12km east of Amman, in Zarqa Governorate. Conducted in cooperation with the Chinese government, the project aims to instal carriers to enhance water provision to Ruseifa at a […]

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Bike-Sharing Launched in Congested Beirut – Naharnet

Lebanon launched a bike-sharing program in its capital Beirut on Sunday, hoping to cut down on the congested city’s notorious traffic and pollution. The scheme aims to eventually allow users to rent and return bicycles at 25 automated stations distributed across the city. For now, a single station is operating in central Beirut, with limited […]

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