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 September, 2018

When it comes to climate change, the rich are the culprit – but they won’t pay the price – Haaretz

An oligarch does as much damage to the climate in a day as an average person does in five years, according to a leading anthropologist and environmental researcher. Nevertheless, he remains hopeful Ayelett Shani | Sep. 20, 2018 interview with Prof. Dan Rabinowitz. By chance, the timing of my call was good. Indeed. I’ve just […]

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New documentary depicts water struggles of Al Karamah village – Jordan Times

A new documentary on the water shortages of Al Karamah debuted on Wednesday at the Royal Scientific Society, according to a statement released by the West Asia-North Africa Institute (WANA). The documentary titled, “Al-Karamah… Karameh”, and made in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, depicts the daily struggles of local families with water, electricity and other issues. […]

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‘Jordan will not be storing Israeli gas’ – Jordan Times

Mohammad Ghazal – Sep 19,2018 AMMAN — Jordan’s imports of natural gas from Israel will be used for daily production of electricity and will not be stored, Amani Azzam, secretary general of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, said on Tuesday. Under a deal between Jordan and Noble Energy, the Kingdom will import around […]

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Arson at Dead Sea Nature Reserve – Haaretz / YNET

Israeli police arrest three Palestinians suspected of arson in Dead Sea blazes – Haaretz The fire caused damage to 125 acres of vegetation was contained after hours of efforts by 16 firefighting crews Yotam Berger, Zafrir Rinat | Sep. 11, 2018 Israeli police arrested three Palestinians for suspected arson in the blazes that broke out […]

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USAID Conflict Management and Mitigation Program Cancelled – YNET

Report: US to halt Last source of American aid to the Palestinians After strings of actions taken by the Trump administration against the Palestinians, white House will cut the last funding channel aiding them, as reported by the New York Times; Conflict Management and Mitigation Program to be denied access of $10 million in funds. […]

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Iran and Turkey Divert Iraq’s River Waters, Leaving Iraq on the Brink of Catastrophe – Jerusalem Center for Public Affiars

Col. (ret.) Dr. Jacques Neriah, September 6, 2018 The failing water infrastructure in Basra, Iraq, is causing plague-like conditions in the local population. Some 500 to 600 individuals are admitted to emergency rooms daily because of water poisoning accompanied by skin diseases. The Tigris River, which crosses the city and used to be the main […]

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Environmental Peacebuilding Newsletter September 2018

Dear Friends, We are thrilled to share with you the news that EcoPeace Middle East was selected to receive the 2018 Stanford Bright Award. This annual $100,000 award recognizes exceptional contributions to global sustainability and is given to an organization in one of 10 rotating regions each year. EcoPeace’s Co-Founders, Gidon Bromberg and Munqeth Mehyar, […]

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Publication of Report on the Status of the Hebron-Besor-Wadi Gaza Basin – Ecopeace

Report on the Status of the Hebron-Besor-Wadi Gaza Basin EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report presents the current state of the freshwater and wastewater conditions in the Hebron-Besor-Wadi Gaza Basin Current challenges and risks to water security, public health, and environment are highlighted with further exploration of impacts within the context of gender. This drainage basin originates […]

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Red Sea’s coral reefs are in serious trouble: Environmental NGO – Egypt Independent

Al-Masry Al-Youm The HEPCA (Hurghada Environmental Protection & Conservation Association) NGO warned on Sunday that coral reefs in Hurghada, Red Sea are in serious danger as a result of fishing with explosives and throwing waste in the sea, according to a recent statement. The statement added that coral reefs are some of the richest natural […]

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Jumblat Lashes Out at EDL, Environment Ministry Officials – Naharnet

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Tuesday launched a blistering verbal attack on the “owners” of both the country’s private power generators and the Turkish power ships as well as some officials at state-run Electricité Du Liban and the Environment Ministry. “As the country drowns in floods, rivers of garbage, a polluted Litani River […]

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Report: Lebanon’s Oil Wealth Under Israeli Threats – Naharnet

Speaker Nabih Berri raised with the French ambassador Bruno Foucher the file of Lebanon’s maritime oil from the perspective of Israel’s attempt to explore within the Lebanese sea waters, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday. Berri had pointed to the “seriousness of this Israeli attack,” stressing that “Lebanon can not accept this, nor abandon its right […]

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Israel’s SodaStream drowns Statue of Liberty replica in plastic to protest waste – Haaretz

Company’s goal is to raise awareness of the negative consequences of single-use plastic (and drum up business for the company while they’re at it) JTA | Sep. 8, 2018 | 9:17 PM Tourists and locals wandering around Flatiron Plaza in downtown Manhattan were met with an unusual sight: a 20-foot replica of the Statue of […]

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Israel’s groundwater levels dropping to dangerous lows – Haaretz

As main aquifers near their red line, the amount of water in the streams feeding the Jordan River continues to drop Zafrir Rinat | Sep. 4, 2018 | 2:26 AM | 1 Israel’s main aquifers are nearing their red lines, or are even below them now, as the end of the summer approaches. At the […]

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With ongoing drought, Israel Water Authority to bring water from Lower Galilee to Lake Kinneret – Haaretz

Water Authority chief Giora Shaham says Israel suffering longest drought in a century and that water consumption will have to be limited if another dry year follows Zafrir Rinat | Aug. 26, 2018 | 9:01 PM | 1 Israel has been experiencing the most consecutive drought years in more than a century, Israel Water Authority […]

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Steinitz: Replenishment of Kinneret a priority – YNET

In an interview with Ynet, energy minister says desalination output to double, aquifers, rivers to be saved; addressing Syria, Steinitz warns ‘Assad in danger if he allows Iranian military buildup.’ Alexandra Lukash, Attila Somfalvi|Published: 08.30.18 Israel intends to prepare for additional drought years by doubling the quantity of desalinated water and the upgrading the national […]

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Hariri, Hajj Hassan Agree on Emergency Authority to Tackle Polluted Litani River – Naharnet

Caretaker Minister of Industry Hussein Hajj Hassan held a meeting with the committee tasked with following up on the treatment of pollution of Lebanon’s southern Litani River, the National News Agency reported on Tuesday. Conferees tackled the deterrent measures to inhibit numerous water pollution sources, which include microbial and chemical contamination from industrial and domestic […]

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Zavitan stream reopened following leptospirosis scare – YNET

Stream in Golan Heights reopened after test results show drop in fecal coliforms, leading to a decrease in chances of contracting the disease; Tourism Ministry launches campaign to bring Israelis back to the north. Rotem Elizera, Ahiya Raved|Published: 08.27.18 , 14:00 The Ministry of Health announced Sunday that the Zavitan Stream in the Golan Heights […]

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Environment minister: If elected mayor, I won’t preserve Jerusalem’s green area – Haaretz

Zeev Elkin is the only mayoral candidate who supports construction of the new neighborhood on the hill of Mitzpeh Naftoah, considered important from an ecological standpoint Nir Hasson | Sep. 7, 2018 | 12:50 PM | 1 Environmental Protection Minister and mayoral candidate Zeev Elkin supports the construction of new neighborhoods on the western edge […]

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Renewable energy takes a turn in Jerash village – Jordan Times

By Blanca Brew – Aug 20,2018 UNDP — “Investing in renewable energy changed our lives,” said Mohammad Ayasrha, project manager at Darb Al Safsaf Charity, a community based organisation in the village of Sakeb in Jerash, explaining how the reduction of household energy expenses has greatly contributed to redirecting large savings for local inhabitants. Ayasrha, […]

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Over 12,000 electricity thefts during January-August period’ – Jordan Times

Sep 05,2018 AMMAN — Jordanian agencies documented 12,958 alleged electricity thefts during the first eight months of the year, The Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) chief commissioner, Farouq Hiyari, announced on Wednesday. Hiyari said that 1,222 lawsuits were filed with the courts during the same period, with courts issuing final rulings for 1,374 (some […]

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