Environmental Protection Ministry launches criminal inquiry into ORL operations after measurements indicate gross emission irregularities Amir Ben-David Published: 08.03.12 Israel’s Oil Refineries Ltd. (ORL) has been trying to escape the public image of major environmental polluter but may now have a hard time doing so. The Environmental Protection Ministry recently launched a new criminal inquiry […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 08/02/2012 Project aims to strengthen cross-border relations with Jordan as well as act as an instigator for regional development. A new NIS 10 million regional cooperation project on renewable energy in the Eilat- Eilot region aims to strengthen cross-border relations with Jordan as well as act as an instigator for regional development. […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 08/02/2012 Energy Minister Landau demonstrates “cost-effective great light” in new initiative on Reading Power Station’s prominent chimney. The habitually loathed chimney that juts out of north Tel Aviv’s Reading Power Station will now decorate the sky with green, orange and red illumination. The Energy and Water Ministry launched this visual power meter […]

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The Civil Administration is protecting a law that its title in contemporary Hebrew is ‘keeping most of the West Bank Palestinian-free.’ By Amira Hass | Aug.01, 2012 Events in Area C are a burning issue for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot. More correctly, he is infuriated by what […]

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By DANIEL MERON 07/30/2012 Israelis tend to think the United Nations preoccupies itself with classic political issues, but the reality is different “We do not rejoice in victories. We rejoice when a new kind of cotton is grown and when strawberries bloom in Israel” – Golda Meir Israelis tend to think the United Nations preoccupies […]

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AFED 2012 Annual Report The 2012 AFED report will analyze sustainability options in Arab countries, based on a survey of available renewable resources (biocapacity) and consumption (footprint). As basis for the analysis, AFED has commissioned the Global Footprint Network (GFN), who are world leaders in this field, to produce an Ecological Footprint Atlas exploring resource […]

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August 01, 2012 In the two decades since Lebanon’s civil war ended the country’s electricity has proven such an enduring problem it now appears to be as intractable as most difficult international conflicts. It seems as likely to be solved as the Palestinian problem, or the conflict over Kashmir. But it’s not a problem the […]

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by Hana Namrouqa | Jul 31, 2012 | 23:54 AMMAN — The Ministry of Environment has referred an industrial company to the South Amman Court of First Instance for breaching environmental regulations, according to government officials. The company manufactures aluminium and is located in Zizya, a town in Amman Governorate 35 kilometres to the south […]

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Unknown virus is killing Tilapia population in Sea of Galilee; experts say future impact on lake’s eco-system unknown Published: 07.30.12 An unknown virus is threatening the population of St. Peter’s fish (Tilapia) in Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). The virus, which has yet to be identified, is causing the fish to go blind, therefore inhibiting […]

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By JOANNA PARASZCZUK, SHARON UDASIN 07/30/2012 Move a response to calls by Erdan, animal rights groups regarding export of animals to overseas labs. Animal rights groups on Sunday praised a decision by Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein to implement legal guidelines and tougher policies on the trade of wild animals. The announcement came in response to a […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 08/01/2012 Israeli cliffs lose 40-50 centimeters a year due to erosion, with some in danger of complete collapse. The Socioeconomic Cabinet approved a plan on Tuesday to establish a governmental company for coastal cliff protection, the Environmental Protection Ministry reported. The new company will design, launch and maintain defense structures to prevent […]

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By Waltraud Frommherz-Hassib While a number of countries slid into a deep recession in 2008, Lebanon witnessed spectacular economic growth. Over the last few years, not only trendy downtown Beirut but other parts of the country, too, have seen a major construction boom. In 2009, tourism too broke all records. In the real estate business […]

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links go to on-line articles from this issue 4 Regional cooperation to bridge food deficit (editorial by Najib Saab) 16 Construction chaos in Lebanon (cover story) http://www.mectat.com.lb/metopics/lebconstruction/lebconstruction.htm 22 The future we don’t want highlights on Rio+20 summit 24 Rio, the states, the people commentary by Cynthia Fleury http://www.mectat.com.lb/metopics/fleuri/fleuri.htm 26 People’s summit versus leaders’ summit photo […]

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by AYA EPHRATI/NOCAMELS 07/28/2012 An Israel-based startup, says it has developed bifacial solar panels that can boost energy yield by up to 50 percent. Solar cells and panels have been around for decades, but researchers are still trying to develop affordable double-sided panels – able to capture both direct and reflected sunlight. bSolar, an Israel-based […]

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New study shows investment in solar energy production as cost effective or more than production of fossil fuel-based energy Itay Lahat, Calcalist Published: 07.28.12 Solar energy production is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and a recent study has found that it is now also as cost effective – if not more […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 07/27/2012 Energy expert at ministry conference: Gas discovery belongs to “every single” Israeli citizen. To ensure that citizens are getting the optimal value for their nation’s offshore resource reserves, governments should mandate independent analyses of their reserve inventory, an American energy expert said on Thursday. “Energy and environment ministries are the stewards […]

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Receives approval to drill for oil off Israel’s southern Mediterranean coast from Defense Ministry, military paving way for operations at Yam-3 drill to begin Reuters Published: 07.28.12 Shemen Oil and Gas Resources said this week it had received approval to drill for oil off Israel’s southern Mediterranean coast from the Defense Ministry and military, paving […]

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Petra | Jul 29, 2012 | 00:29 ZARQA/IRBID — Zarqa’s water crisis will be resolved after 400 cubic metres of water are pumped from Al Azraq wells to the governorate, starting Sunday, Governor Sameh Majali said on Saturday. During a visit to several areas in Zarqa, Majali urged the Zarqa Water Directorate not to neglect […]

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Palestinian communities in the Jordan Valley are frequently denied permits to restore old wells or dig new ones. Dalia Hatuqa Last Modified: 28 Jul 2012 At a time when the Palestinian Authority is facing a severe financial crisis, a report by the UK-based non-governmental organisation Oxfam International has revealed that Palestinians could generate an extra […]

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Environmental Protection Ministry, green groups concerned over lack of proper treatment facilities for products like batteries, paint and pharmaceuticals Alphi Shauli Published: 07.29.12 The Environmental Protection Ministry has recently raised concerns over lack of proper treatment for hazardous waste produced by private consumers. Many products, like batteries, pharmaceuticals, florescent light bulbs, pesticides, paints and glues […]

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