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 August, 2017

Haifa Chemicals to close down two plants, layoff 800 workers – Jerusalem Post

BySharon Udasin August 2, 2017 10:43 Haifa Chemicals is owned by the American holding company Trance Resource Inc, which is controlled by the Trump Group, where Jules Trump serves as chairman of the board. As the final date for emptying Israel’s disputed ammonia storage tank draws near, Haifa Chemicals has notified some 800 employees of […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Study Finds Israeli Power Plants’ Efforts Reduce Number of Deaths From Air Pollution – Haaretz

The Environmental Protection Ministry reports that a change to a cleaner type of fuel led to the reduction in mortalities Zafrir Rinat Aug 17, 2017 There has been a decline in the number of people dying in Israel from diseases related to air pollution over the past decade, according to new data released by the […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Groundwater in Israel Contaminated by Gas Stations and Storage Tanks – Haaretz

Three-fourths of 236 monitored sites contained varying levels of pollution from gasoline or fuel additives Zafrir Rinat Aug 22, 2017 The groundwater near three-quarters of Israeli gas stations and storage tanks for which data are available is contaminated. That, according to a report released this week by the Water Authority monitoring 236 fuel facilities. Most […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Analysis Why Hasn’t Israel’s Windfall-profit Tax Blown in Yet? – Haaretz

The state was supposed to be reaping billions from a special levy on gas and other natural resources, but to date the take has been just 459m shekels Meirav Arlosoroff Aug 30, 2017 Buried deep inside the government’s annual fiscal report is an interesting comment that appears almost as an afterthought: “Until state revenues from […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Jordan wins anti-desertification policy award – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa – Aug 27,2017 Rangelands are a defining ecosystem for Jordan and take up the vast majority of the Kingdom’s land area AMMAN — The World Future Council (WFC) has awarded Jordan the bronze Future Policy Award 2017 for its Updated Rangeland Strategy that enshrines the Middle East’s most widespread and longstanding indigenous […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Green resistance: Lebanese plant trees near border mocking Israel – YNET

After Hezbollah leader’s derisory remark that ‘Israel is afraid of trees’ following complaint made to UN over their uses for intel gathering, 2 Lebanese men begin planting on Israeli-Lebanese border in plain view of IDF soldiers, hold up sign praising Nasrallah. Roi Kais|Published: 23.08.17 A resident of southern Lebanon appears to have taken seriously a […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Silent drilling rig allegedly used for digging illegal well confiscated – Jordan Times

‘Electric rig had dug up 30-metre-deep hole to extract underground water in Pella District in Northern Ghor’ By Hana Namrouqa – Aug 21,2017 The silent drilling rig was allegedly used to dig an illegal well to extract underground water, according to an official (Photo courtesy of Ministry of Water and Irrigation) AMMAN — Authorities on […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Dibbeen forest fire act of arson — official – Jordan Times

Blaze engulfed trees over a 10-dunnum area By Hana Namrouqa – Aug 23,2017 AMMAN — Initial results of an investigation into a wildfire that erupted on Monday in Dibbeen Forest Reserve indicated that it was caused by an act of arson, a government official said on Wednesday. Authorities have no suspects yet, according to Bassam […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Korean agency organises cleaning day at Dibbeen forest – Jordan Times

By JT – Aug 27,2017 A team of volunteers on Saturday organised a cleaning day at the Dibbeen forest, with the participation of 122 orphan girls from Jerash and Sakib areas, according to the organisers (Photo courtesy of Korea International Cooperation Agency) AMMAN — A team of volunteers on Saturday organised a cleaning day at […]

Read the rest of this entry »

UN gives Gaza $2.5m. in humanitarian aid for water and fuel crisis – Jerusalem Post

By TOVAH LAZAROFF 08/27/2017 The United Nations has provided the Gaza Strip with $2.5 million in humanitarian aid to help with its water, electricity and fuel crisis. The funds come as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas threatens to gradually cut funding to Gaza if Hamas does not allow Fatah to return to the Strip. Some […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Lebanon’s Power Crisis Sees No Progress – Naharnet

18 August 2017 Lebanon, a country plagued with power rationing, seems to find no solution for its longtime crisis in light of disagreements among political parties over the means to tackle the problem. The government has canceled on Thursday a previous bid to lease Turkish power generating vessels to improve power supply, and has therefore […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Does gas bonanza spell paradise lost for Israel’s north? – Jerusalem Post

ByPAUL ALSTER August 19, 2017 05:00 Citizens of northern Israel campaign against the proximity of natural gas facilities to the coastline. A fierce battle is being waged in the north of Israel. It’s a battle that has been joined late ‒ possibly too late, say some ‒ by residents of the beautiful Carmel coast and […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Green dream start-up takes Technion to court over ‘devious behavior’ – Jerusalem Post

ByAVI HOFFMANN August 20, 2017 18:22 What started out as the dream of a nonagenarian Jewish philanthropist from Chicago to develop, in partnership with the Technion in Haifa, a groundbreaking source of green energy, has turned into a multimillion- dollar lawsuit against Israel’s vaunted institute of technology by the philanthropist’s heirs. The saga began on […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Saudi Arabia to exceed renewable energy targets – Al Arabiya

Reuters, Jeddah Thursday, 24 August 2017 Saudi Arabia aims to exceed its target to generate 9.5 gigawatts of electricity from renewable energy annually, to highlight its long-term commitment to green energy, a senior government official said. “We plan to exceed 9.5 gigawatts,” Turki al-Shehri, head of the energy ministry’s Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO) […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Saudi Arabia to pay solar power consumers as part of new regulatory framework – Al Arabiya

Reuters, Khobar Monday, 21 August 2017 Saudi Arabia will pay solar energy consumers as part of new regulatory framework for electricity consumers issued on Monday. The framework encourages consumers to operate their own, small-scale solar power generating systems and export unused power to the national grid, the government said. The rules will come into force […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Study explores geothermal energy option for UAE – Environment and Development

A research study is looking at the potential use of geothermal energy — the heat produced inside the earth — as a new source of clean and renewable energy for the UAE. The project, which is being undertaken by researchers at UAE University (UAEU), has studied geological sites in both Al Ain and Ras Al […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Six SMEs trained to upgrade their energy-saving practices – Jordan Times

Technical training seeks to raise efficiency of energy use and enhance entreprises’ competitiveness By Hana Namrouqa – Aug 22,2017 AMMAN — Six small and medium enterprises (SMEs) producing home appliances and air conditioners have received technical training and support to upgrade their products to energy saving devices, an enterprise development corporation announced on Tuesday. Under […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Green algae found in UAE could produce alternative to palm oil – Environment and Development

Researchers have discovered that a green algae found in the UAE could be used to produce an alternative to palm oil, which is environmentally destructive in its cultivation. Chloroidium algae is one of the most prevalent in the region and researchers from New York University Abu Dhabi studied the strain which can be found in […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Egyptian students produce fuel from used car tyres – Environment and Development

A group of Egyptian students have built a machine they say can produce fuel from worn-out vehicle tyres, after big rises in energy prices as part of recent economic reforms. The device heats the tyres until they reach evaporation point. The vapor then enters a condenser. The product is “very similar in properties to pure […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Global Warming Will Sear Three of Four Major Grain Crops, Says New Meta-study – Haaretz

Maize and wheat especially vulnerable, rice will hurt and only soybeans seem relatively impervious to rising temperatures Ruth Schuster Aug 16, 2017 Three of the four major grains on which the growing world population depends are vulnerable to global warming, says a new meta-analysis based on more than 70 studies. Farmers have probably known that […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Page 1 of 3:1 2 3 »