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 June, 2023

West Bank UNESCO site could face water shortage in Israeli settlement plan – YNET

Environmental groups say a project slated for a nearby hilltop could devastate already strained water sources supplying the ancient agricultural terraces of Battir and cause extensive damage to an already precarious ecosystem. Associated Press|06.21.23  Generations of Palestinians have worked the terraced hillsides of this West Bank farming village southwest of Jerusalem, growing olives, fruits, beans, […]

Read the rest of this entry »

The 20th Session of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development – Environment and Development

19/6/2023 Marseille, 16/6/2023 The Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) participated in the 20th session of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD), which was held in Marseille, France. AFED Secretary General Najib Saab was elected Vice-President of the Steering Committee for the next term, chaired by France. Over the course of 3 days, […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Druze Protesters Clash With Police in Golan Heights Over Wind Turbine Construction – Haaretz

Three protesters and three police officers suffered mild injuries from the clashes, which erupted in response to work that began Tuesday morning to build wind turbines near the Druze towns of Majdal Shams and Masadeh, on the Israel-Syria border Adi Hashmonai. Jack Khoury. Jun 20, 2023 Clashes erupted in the Golan Heights on Tuesday between […]

Read the rest of this entry »

‘Druze intifada’: Thousands clash with police in Israel’s Golan Heights’ – Jerusalem Post

‘Druze uprising could turn into an intifada,’ local council head warns • Netanyahu, Shin Bet chief meet with Druze community leader amid violence By JERUSALEM POST STAFF Published: JUNE 21, 2023  Thousands of Druze Israelis in the Golan Heights clashed with Israel Police on Wednesday as they protested against the construction of wind turbines in the area, according to […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Israel Set to Approve Gaza Marine Gas Development, Requires Security Assurances – Haaretz

Gaza Marine is estimated to hold over 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, much more than is needed to power the Palestinian territories and some of which could potentially be exported Reuters. Jun 18, 2023 Israel gave preliminary approval for the development of a gas field off the Gaza Strip on Sunday while saying […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Does the Gaza Marine gas field put Israel, Mediterranean Sea at risk? – analysis – Jerusalem Post

Environmental experts warn that it may be too soon to celebrate Israel’s approval to develop the Gaza Marine gas field. By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN Published: JUNE 21, 2023 The international community celebrated the decision to allow the Palestinians to develop the Gaza Marine gas field as a boon to underprivileged people struggling to keep the lights on.  However, environmental experts […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Israel, Cyprus make strides toward EastMed undersea electricity cable – Al Monitor

Cypriot Energy Minister George Papanastasiou’s visit to Israel is another step in joint efforts to promote the Euro-Asia undersea electricity cable project. Rina Bassist June 15, 2023 Israel’s Energy Minister Israel Katz met with his visiting Cypriot counterpart, George Papanastasiou, in Jerusalem Thursday for a round of discussions on strengthening energy cooperation, particularly an initiative […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Lacking land, Israel to cover its rooftops with solar panels – YNET

Although drenched in sunshine, Israel is too small to rely on traditional, land-intensive photovoltaic power plants as it is falling behind schedule on its goal to get 30% of its electricity from renewables by 2030 Reuters|06.20.23  Building a school? Parking garage? Cowshed? Cover it in solar panels. Israel will soon require all new non-residential buildings […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Israeli Food Tech Is Flavor of the Month at This Forward-thinking Cuisine Confab – Haaretz

David Stavrou Jun 15, 2023 STOCKHOLM — A global food-technology conference is a natural fit for Sweden, where it’s not uncommon to hear locals discussing climate change, workers’ rights and environmental issues as part of their decision-making process. It is also no surprise to find young Israelis here attracting interest for their heap of new […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Planting Azolla empowers Jordan’s women farmers – Al Jazeera

A farming collective of Syrian and Jordanian women in water-poor Mafraq is growing Azolla and changing their lives. By Zoe H Robbin. 19 Jun 2023 Al-Mafraq, Jordan – Inside a greenhouse in al-Makeefta village in northern Jordan, Iman al-Athemat stood holding a spaghetti strainer she uses to harvest Azolla growing on the surface of pools. The Azolla plant, about one […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Israel to work with Egypt, Palestine to develop Gaza gas field – Al Monitor

After years of objection, Israel finally agrees to the development of the Marine undersea natural gas field, off the Gaza coast.  Rina Bassist June 19, 2023 Israel’s government announced on Sunday that it had granted preliminary approval for the relevant Cabinet ministries to cooperate with Egypt and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to develop the Gaza […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Israelis pick up 120 kg. of trash in Mediterranean Sea clean-up project – Jerusalem Post

The dives, which coincide with World Oceans Day on June 8, took place at Givat Aliya in Jaffa, on the beaches of Herzliya and on Dor-Nashsholim beach with 55 divers. By JERUSALEM POST STAFF Published: JUNE 12, 2023  The Environmental Protection Ministry is leading underwater cleaning dives in the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea as part of the […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Israeli gov’t to invest NIS 100 million in energy efficiency projects – Jerusalem Post

The new projects are part of an Israeli government decision to be more energy efficient and increase renewable energy use on government properties, thereby significantly reducing costs. By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN Published: JUNE 19, 2023 Twenty-two government offices and authorities will receive a collective NIS 100 million over the next two years to carry out more than 70 energy […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Desertification Day: How Israel could help solve the desertification crisis – Jerusalem Post

“There is hope,” said Nicole Hod-Stroh. “Israel’s Negev is leading this hope and should be a source of national pride.” By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN Published: JUNE 17, 2023  More than two billion people live in deserts and drylands, accounting for nearly 40% of the earth’s land surface. The expansion of the desert – desertification – could have severe and negative […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Saudi Arabia’s carbon credit exchange: climate action or greenwashing? Al Monitor

Sixteen firms, including Aramco, Saudi Airlines, Saudi Electricity Company and NEOM subsidiary ENOWA, bought more than 2.2 million tons of carbon credits in Nairobi on Wednesday.  Salim A. Essaid June 16, 2023 DUBAI — Saudi Arabia’s Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Company (RVCMC) announced this week the launch of its 2024 carbon credit exchange as it […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Abu Dhabi embraces 3D tech for coral reef recovery amid environmental challenges – Jerusalem Post

As it grapples with intense coral bleaching and other environmental issues, Abu Dhabi is turning to 3D-printed reef tiles to nurture new coral growth and restore its rich marine ecosystems By OMNIA AL DESOUKIE/ THE MEDIA LINE Published: JUNE 12, 2023 The world’s coral reefs are disappearing, and scientists predict that up to 90% of these underwater structures will […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Oil leaves invisible footprint on Gulf’s non-oil economies – Al Monitor

Touted progress in diversifying Gulf economies beyond the fossil fuel rent comes with a caveat. Oil and gas revenues indirectly propel large chunks of the non-oil economy through public expenditures such as wages, subsidies and infrastructure spending.  Sebastian Castelier June 17, 2023 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects the non-oil segment of Gulf economies to […]

Read the rest of this entry »

EAD named as ‘Best Regional Environment Agency’ – Environment and Development

20/6/202 The Environment Agency –Abu Dhabi (EAD) was recently named the Best Regional Environmental Agency in the Middle East and Africa in 2023 at Capital Finance International’s (CFI) Sustainability Awards. The agency was recognised for its long history in executing regional first and large-scale projects in environmental conservation and is the first environmental agency in […]

Read the rest of this entry »

UAE looks to salty, muddy mangroves in climate change fight – Environment and Development

Against the heat, urbanisation and sand of the United Arab Emirates, the placid, muddy waterways of the Gulf state’s coastal mangroves are being restored and planted in an ambitious fight against climate change. Tropical mangrove forests are complex ecosystems anchored around mangrove trees that thrive in inhospitable hot, muddy and salty conditions. They protect coastal […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Endangered hawksbills released on Saadiyat Island for World Sea Turtle Day – Environment and Development

19/6/2023 In celebration of World Sea Turtle Day on Friday, the Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi and the National Aquarium in Al Qana released endangered hawksbill turtles back into the sea, complete with GPS trackers to monitor their migratory movements. The heart-warming journey began on the beach of Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas, and the event attracted […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Page 1 of 3:1 2 3 »