just released. Stanford University Press. August 2020184 pages. $14.00Paperback ISBN: 9781503609983 Dan Rabinowitz has been writing detailed and insightful analyses of Middle East environmental issues and possibility throughout his career. The “promise” in the title highlights going beyond the dire forecasts and promoting appropriate, realistic responses. Also, note the reasonable price. (ed) publishers description: Hotter […]

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Is Turkey on the cusp of turning into a regional energy power? by Dimitar Bechev27 Aug 2020 On Friday, August 21, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that a sizeable natural gas field had been found off the Turkish Black Sea coast. The discovery of some 320 billion cubic metres (bcm) reserve is being hailed as a […]

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Dan Rabinowitz A lot has been written in recent days about the diplomatic-security aspect of the United Arab Emirates’ initiative to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel. The UAE, which stretches across 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) of the Persian Gulf coast, has great interest in solidifying its relationship with the United States, establishing a regional […]

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Zafrir Rinat August 14, 2020 When changes are examined only for the summer months, estimates are that average temperatures may rise by as much as six degrees, study shows The average temperature in Israel will rise by four degrees Celsius compared to average temperatures over the last thirty years, unless steps are taken around the […]

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Zafrir Rinat 25.08.2020 State planners side with municipality in opposing ‘greenwashing’ by energy company. The southern coastal city of Ashkelon is completing a new master plan that designates the sand dunes in the city’s southern part as an ecological corridor of high importance for the conservation of animals. At the same time, the Europe Asia Pipeline […]

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Children will learn about topics such as the climate crisis, the importance of preserving open space, air pollution, recycling, reducing waste, and more. By CELIA JEAN   AUGUST 20, 2020 In order to promote education on environmental and sustainability issues in the Israel’s education system, the Environmental Ministry is set to transfer NIS 10.7 million […]

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The Arava Institute is starting an exciting new research project to help fight the coronavirus. Dr. Clive Lipchin will lead a 12-month study to test wastewater in Bedouin villages for COVID-19. Detection of the coronavirus in wastewater can help identify outbreaks early, isolate hot spots, and prevent the spread of disease. This can help officials […]

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What’s the connection between environmental legislation, climate change – and workers’ rights? Heschel staffer Aviva Shemesh explains the idea of “just transition” illustrated by the very current example of the announced closing of the toxic petrochemical industries of the Haifa Bay. The BAZAN Group, or ORL (Oil Refineries Ltd.) is an oil refining and petrochemicals […]

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The campaign calls on the Israeli public to leave the disposable tableware at home and to transition to reusable products that will keep Israel’s beaches clean and plastic-free. By TOBIAS SIEGAL   AUGUST 19, 2020 The Environmental Protection Ministry and EcoOcean, a non-profit organization, released on Wednesday an informational campaign calling on the public to […]

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Residents in the three locations were vehemently opposed because they feared bad smells and air pollution, while environmental advocacy groups insisted the plan was expensive and polluting Zafrir Rinat A plan to build three facilities to produce energy by burning garbage has been scrapped by the Environmental Protection Ministry, after people living near the proposed […]

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NAJIB SAAB 17/8/2020 The Beirut catastrophe revealed a blatant failure in dealing with hazardous materials, illustrative not only of the situation in Lebanon but also in other Arab countries. The explosion reminded the Iraqi government of forgotten containers of suspicious content abandoned on its borders. It drew attention to the dilapidated oil tanker that the […]

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U.N. Tries to Sort Out Hazardous Waste in Beirut Blast A U.N. agency said Friday it is trying to determine what kind of hazardous debris landed across Beirut after the catastrophic port explosion and how to clean it up safely. The United Nations Development Program said it also wanted to find out how much the […]

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The third water generator donation was made on behalf of joint cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian entities, and was donated to Gaza’s second largest hospital. By CELIA JEAN   AUGUST 4, 2020 07:38 Amid rising tensions between the Israeli and Palestinan governments comes some brighter cooperative news: Israeli company Watergen and the Arava Institute for […]

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The prospect of the mega-dam is a new worry for Egyptian farmers with water scarcity already a major problem. In the winter of 1964, Makhluf Abu Kassem was born in an agricultural community newly created at the far end of Egypt’s Fayoum Oasis. His parents were among the village’s first settlers, moving there three years […]

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Aug 20,2020 The Water Ministry, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund, has launched a borehole in Athruh region in Maan Governorate with a capacity of 70 cubic metres per hour at a cost of JD202,000 (Photo courtesy of UNICEF) AMMAN — The Water Ministry, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched […]

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An ultra-modern vertical farm in the middle of the desert stands as a testament to Dubai’s determination to spark a “green revolution” to overcome its dependence on food imports.   Al-Badia market garden farm produces an array of vegetable crops in multi-storey format, carefully controlling light and irrigation as well as recycling 90 percent of […]

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By Bahaa Al Deen Al Nawas – Aug 20,2020 The power went out in Mafraq on Monday when migratory birds landed on power lines and electricity generators, causing disruptions to water distribution in the governorate (Photo courtesy of the RSCN) AMMAN — The power went out in Mafraq on Monday when migratory birds landed on […]

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Noa Shpigel August 15, 2020 Several dozen demonstrators managed to enter Kibbutz Nir David in the northern Jordan Valley through the main gate on Friday afternoon, during a demonstration over the opening of the Asi Stream to the public. Locals protested against the kibbutz closing its gates, thereby preventing non-residents from enjoying access to the […]

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Aug 19,2020   Energy Minister Hala Zawati speaks during a signing ceremony of agreements to finance the installation of solar heaters and cells in Amman on Tuesday (Photo courtesy of Energy Ministry) AMMAN — The Ministry of Energy’s Jordan Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF) on Tuesday signed agreements to finance the second phase […]

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Aug 16,2020   Energy Minister Hala Zawati and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman are seen during a signing ceremony of an agreement to connect power grids on Sunday (Petra photos) AMMAN — Jordan and Saudi Arabia on Sunday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to lay out the frame work of joint cooperation […]

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