By Muath Freij – Nov 11,2017 AMMAN — The small number of green spaces in the capital prompted 14-year-old Reem Hamadah to participate in a one-day planting tree activity in Amman on Saturday. Hamadah said that she is forced to visit malls in the upscale neighbourhoods of Amman whenever she wants to enjoy some leisure […]

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By Fares Al Abed – Nov 13,2017 AMMAN — The relationship between tourism and sustainable growth was the focus of a regional conference that began in Amman on Monday. Titled “Tourism in the Middle East and North Africa [MENA]: Competitiveness for Sustainable Growth”, the two-day meeting aims at developing sustainable urban tourism in the region. […]

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by Muath Freij – Nov 16,2017 – AMMAN — Istisqaa prayer will be held across the Kingdom on Friday, following calls made by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs urging Jordanians to participate in the prayer. A statement posted on the ministry’s website said that Awqaf Minister Wael Arabiyat notified heads of Awqaf directorates […]

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15 Nov 2017 Engineers in northern Iraq are carrying out repairs on a vital dam damaged by the earthquake that also devastated areas in neighbouring Iran. The dam, which provides water and electricity to about two million people, risks breaking and unleashing disastrous flooding. More than 500 people were killed and about 70,000 were displaced […]

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By MAX SCHINDLER 11/06/2017 Kibbutz-based Infimer seeks to alleviate $40 billion-a-year cost of plastics pollution. A colossal “sea of plastic” was discovered last month in the Caribbean, with bunched-up bottles and bags stretching for miles. It reminded one Israeli environmental entrepreneur of the polluted Haifa Bay and Kishon River — with all of its petrochemicals. […]

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On September 13th-14th, 2017, the second annual Track II Environmental Conference was held at the Arava Institute. The conference, entitled “Promoting environmental agreements between Jordan, Israel and Palestine, to improve lives, protect the environment, and support sustainable resolution of conflict”, aimed to highlight the progress of the Track II working groups launched at last year’s […]

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Diplomat Tour “Gaza on the Edge” On October 24th, EcoPeace staff led a group of representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations on a study tour of the Israeli areas neighboring the Gaza Strip. The tour “Gaza on the Edge” showed the transboundary implications of the Gaza water and sanitation crisis on the Israeli communities, […]

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ARAB ENVIRONMENT IN 10 YEARS crowns a decade of the series of annual reports produced by the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) on the state of Arab environment. It tracks and analyzes changes focusing on policies and governance, including level of response and engagement in international environmental treaties. It also highlights developments in […]

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NAJIB SAAB The overall environmental outlook in the Arab region is bleak, despite progress on some fronts, according to the latest report of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED). Entitled Arab Environment in 10 Years, the report crowns a decade of annual reports on the state of the environment in the Arab world. […]

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The Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) concluded its tenth annual conference, held in Beirut on 2-3 November 2017, to discuss changes in the Arab environment during the past ten years. The conference brought together about 400 delegates from 46 countries, representing public agencies, corporations, universities, research centers and civil society. AFED’s Secretary General […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Oct 30,2017 AMMAN — Jordan is formulating its first National Adaptation Plan (NAP) that will feature measures to enhance the country’s capacity to adapt to climate change in different sectors, according to experts in the field. Representatives of the public sector and local and international organisations and institutions on Monday convened […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Oct 29,2017 AMMAN — Jordan on Sunday announced its First Biennial Update Report (FBUR) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which looks at climate change within the Jordanian context and highlights local efforts to fight and adapt to the global phenomenon. The Ministry of Environment, which launched the […]

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Nov 08,2017 AMMAN — Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp is planning to go green with the inauguration of a 12.9 megawatts solar plant next Monday, aimed at bringing affordable and sustainable energy to around 80,000 Syrian refugees and the host community. The 15-million-Euro project, which is funded by the government of Germany through the KfW Development […]

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Even the hardy corals reef of Eilat could be in trouble if water temperatures increase, Saudi research paper indicates Ruth Schuster Nov 02, 2017 The Red Sea is warming faster than the average for the world’s oceans, a team of Saudi scientists has reported. Their finding is likely to have implications for life in the […]

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By YONAH JEREMY BOB 10/25/2017 Israel’s comptroller reported on the faulty infrastructure creating a threat through out the state. Economic losses stemming from air pollution amounted to approximately NIS 16 billion in 2015, according to a report released Wednesday by State Comptroller Joseph Shapira that also addressed corruption issues and defects in roadways and buildings. […]

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Following 4-year drought, Israel at precipice of another water crisis as Kinneret set to reach record low and underground aquifers nearly depleted; additional desalination plant considered to ameliorate crisis, as well as several new reservoirs; facing uncertainty, farmers still vexed at their prospects. Reuters|Published: 29.10.17 , 13:14 It was a source of national pride – […]

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by Kenneth R Rosen 27 Oct 2017 Taqtaq, Iraq – Along the Little Zab River that cuts through the Iraqi town of Taqtaq, families picnicked on a recent weekday afternoon. Children frolicked in stalls overlooking the tributary, while a pair of boats gently bobbed in the rushing current. This spot is popular among Kurds, and […]

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Building mass solar fields as the government intends, the report argues, would diminish reserves of open space and cause unnecessary environmental damage Zafrir Rinat Oct 23, 2017 Rooftop solar panels could produce enough energy to fully meet the government’s target for solar energy, so there’s no justification for approving additional plans for ground-based solar facilities, […]

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Hana Namrouqa – Oct 26,201 AMMAN — The Ministry of Water and Irrigation is scheduled to reduce its energy use, which constitutes 14 per cent of the country’s total energy consumption, by half in early 2019, according to officials. The goal of cutting down 50 million kilowatt hours per year is expected to be attained […]

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Hana Namrouqa – Oct 24,2017 AMMAN — Twelve plants in the food and beverage sector helped save over JD1.6 million in costs related to water, energy, raw materials and solid waste management under a programme promoting resource efficiency and cleaner production (RECP), officials said on Tuesday. The 12 companies signed up for the Transfer of […]

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