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

Key to saving corals from climate change may lie in Arabian Gulf – Environment and Development

11/8/2017 Researchers are one step closer to seeing if Arabian Gulf corals provide a lifeline for coral reefs worldwide under threat from rising sea temperatures. The Arabian Gulf’s high salinity and temperatures provide scientists with a unique living laboratory in the fight against climate change. NYU Abu Dhabi researchers performed DNA analysis on corals collected […]

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Jordan River drying up amid finance impasse – YNET

The Ministry of Finance and Water Authority refuse to foot the bill for a desalination project that could save the river but has swelled to NIS 100 million over budget; southern part of the Jordan already in dire straits. Amir Ben David|Published: 07.08.17 While the Jordan River north of the Kinneret is in danger of […]

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Delay in Ashalim acid spill probe could result in lenient punishment – YNET

Environmental Protection Ministry having trouble finding engineering expert to examine the Rotem Fertilizer reservoir that collapsed at the end of June, causing a massive acid spill into the stream; delays in filing indictments often lead to plea deals. Amir Ben-David|Published: 12.08.17 Delays in the investigation into the ecological disaster at the Ashalim Stream could result […]

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From the dust we came and to the dust we shall return – Environment and Development

Akram Miknas In too many parts of the Arab world, we are so busy killing each other that we’re hardly aware of the most serious threats our region faces. War is capable of killing hundreds of thousands of people, yet the challenges I’m thinking of could make this region impossible to live in for anyone. […]

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Kuwait reports second oil spill – Jordan Times

35,000 barrels of crude may have leaked into the waters off Al Zour By AFP – Aug 15,2017 KUWAIT CITY — Kuwaiti authorities on Tuesday reported a second oil slick off the Gulf state’s shores days after saying another large spill was under control. The new slick was spotted near the capital, some 60 kilometres […]

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Reign of sewage in biblical valley may be coming to an end – YNET

Both Israeli and Palestinian authorities arrive at a solution to drain the Kidron Valley of sewage; pipeline will be constructed carrying the wastewater directly to new treatment facilities. Reuters|Published: 07.08.17 There is a foul smell coming from the biblical Kidron Valley. It’s so bad that King David and Jesus, who are said to have walked […]

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Saving the Dead Sea (editorial) – Jordan Times

Aug 05,2017 The fate of the Dead Sea, with its shrinking water levels, has become an increasing concern not only to environmentalists but also for its riparian states which view the salt lake as a symbol of ancient civilisations and a tourist attraction. Pundits differ on how and why the Dead Sea water levels have […]

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800 Israeli Layoffs as Hizbullah-Threatened Ammonia Tank Closes – Naharnet / YNET / Jerusalem Post

Naharnet 800 Israeli Layoffs as Hizbullah-Threatened Ammonia Tank Closes Around 800 employees will be laid off in the court-ordered closure of a major Israeli ammonia storage facility previously threatened by Hizbullah, the owners announced Wednesday. The head of U.S.-owned Haifa Chemicals, Jules Trump, told Israeli army radio the company was dismissing 800 workers in two […]

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Egypt to manufacture solar panels soon: Head of Renewable Energy Authority – Egypt Independent

August 6, 2017 Head of the New & Renewable Energy Authority Mohamed Mousa announced on Sunday that Egypt will begin to manufacture solar panels soon, saying that the project will pave the way to launch other initiatives. According to the state-run newspaper, Akhabr Al Youm, the solar panels will be attached to buildings that are […]

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Construction begins to increase Waleh Dam’s storage capacity – Jordan Times

By Hana Namrouqa – Aug 09,2017 AMMAN — Raising the walls of Madaba Governorate’s Waleh Dam began on Wednesday, under a project aimed at restoring the original environmental state of the Waleh Valley, officials said on Wednesday. The construction of the project officially began under an agreement signed on Wednesday between Minister of Water and […]

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Desert Highway forestation project launched – Jordan Times

Aug 06,2017 AMMAN — Agriculture Minister Khaled Hneifat on Sunday announced the beginning of a project for the forestation of the Desert Highway, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The project, signed by the minister and International Labour Organisation (ILO) representative Maha Qattaa, comes as part of the ILO’s “Labour Intensive Infrastructure” project for Syrian […]

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‘13,537 electricity theft cases detected since start of year’ – Jordan Times

Aug 05,2017 AMMAN — A total of 13,537 cases of electricity theft have been detected this year until the end of July, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation Commission Farouq Hiari announced in a statement on Saturday. Hiari said that the commission carried out a total of 17,814 […]

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As commuter frustration builds, study suggests subsidising transport sector – Jordan Times

by Ana Ibáñez Prieto – Aug 02,2017 AMMAN — Despite the attention brought by authorities to the issue of public transportation over the past few months, citizens continue to complain about services, while non-profit institutions insist on subsidising the sector to fix many of the current issues. The fact that bus drivers take more passengers […]

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Analysis Climate Change: The Earth Is Cooked, the Question Is if We’re Done – Haaretz

No more planet as we know it? Unless world abolishes carbon emissions a lot faster, temperatures are 90 percent likely to rise by 2 to 5 degrees Celsius by 2100, new study warns Ruth Schuster Aug 03, 2017 links to: Last month ties record for Israel’s hottest July in a century Opinion A warmer Israel […]

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Environmental Peacebuilding Newsletter, August 2017

Dear Friends, We are delighted to publicaly announce that the Board of Directors of EcoPeace Middle East accepted the recommendation of a select committee to appoint Ms Nada Majdalani as the new Palestinian co-director of the organization. Nada joins us with many years of experience as an environmental expert and a long-standing commitment to the […]

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‘Face the sun, and the shadow falls behind you’ – Jordan Times

Ali Kassay Jul 30,2017 In 1894, the Times of London predicted that in 50 years (i.e., by 1950) London would be “buried three metres deep in horse manure”. The problem of horse manure was so severe in all major cities that the world’s first urban planning conference met in 1898 to discuss specifically this problem, […]

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In Jerusalem, an interfaith effort at addressing climate change – Jerusalem Post

By ISABEL FEINSTEIN 07/27/2017 The leaders found common ground on the issues through their religions. A rabbi, a priest and a kadi came together on Wednesday to discuss an issue equally affecting us all: climate change. The event, which was organized by the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development and hosted by the Jerusalem Press Club, […]

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Israel Launches Its First Environmental Research Satellite – Haaretz

Data provided by the satellite will provide policy makers and businesses involved in agriculture information on what to grow and where Ido Efrati Aug 02, 2017 The first Israeli satellite for environmental research was launched early Wednesday morning from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite is a joint effort by the Israel […]

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Israel’s Only Plastic Bottle Recycling Plant Set to Close – Haaretz

Owner of Aviv Recycling says company is being undercut by Turkey’s lower wages and more lenient regulations Noa Shpigel and Zafrir Rinat Aug 01, 2017 srael’s only plastic bottle recycling plant is about to close and has already cut down on its number of employees and their work days. The Knesset Finance Committee has asked […]

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Diversion of water, not climate change, cause of dropping Dead Sea levels — Jordanian geologist – Jordan Times

By Saeb Rawashdeh – Aug 03,2017 AMMAN — The drop in the level of the Dead Sea is causing grave concerns among environmentalists and planners in the region, with most of the drop caused by diversion in the headwaters feeding the sea, a geologist has said. Geology Professor Nizar Abu Jaber from German Jordanian University […]

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