Moha Ennaji Last November, while much of the world was trying to unpack Donald Trump’s election as US president, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 22) was held in Marrakesh, Morocco. Participants from all over the world, including 38 heads of state and government, came together to create a plan for implementing the 2015 […]

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Hend El-Behary The ongoing reduction in Egypt’s Nile fresh water may subject the country to fresh water and energy shortages by 2025, according to a report published in the Geological Society of America’s (GSA) March issue. It explained that any further decrease in Nile fresh water would be ‘grave’ because at best, the river barely […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Mar 16,2017 AMMAN — Increasing maritime transport, development and tourist projects on the Red Sea coast are threatening its biodiversity, a regional expert warned on Thursday, while Jordan renewed its commitment to preserving its only sea gate. The Red Sea, among other marine environments in the Arab region, is witnessing an […]

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Algae can paralyze fish, clog their gills, and absorb enough oxygen to suffocate them. These toxins have infiltrated whole marine food chains and have, in rare cases, killed people. The Gulf of Oman turns green twice a year, when an algae bloom the size of Mexico spreads across the Arabian Sea all the way to […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Mar 18,2017 AMMAN — The Jordanian Federation for Environmental NGOs on Saturday condemned the chopping down of centennial oak trees in the Bader Al Jadidah district in west Amman. The federation said that the Agriculture Ministry should have monitored the process to prevent the gradual elimination of oak forests in Jordan. […]

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UAE-based private utility firm Utico has unveiled a new sustainable farm support programme that includes free water supply to UAE farmers, guaranteed buy-back of their produce and scientific advisory services. The programme was announced at an event held by the Environment Protection and Development Authority (EPDA), Ras Al Khaimah, to mark the International Day of […]

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By Sharon Udasin March 29, 2017 Under moonlight, some 200 ornithology enthusiasts headed to the Arava Desert for a 24-hour charitable competition to identify as many bird species as possible. From 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, the bird-watching teams from Israel and around the world partook in the fourth annual “Champions of the Flyway” […]

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Fourth Arab Water Week to be held at Dead Sea next week By Hana Namrouqa – Mar 13,2017 AMMAN — Instability in some Arab countries has driven trained and qualified people out of the water sector, causing a deficiency in the management of water utilities, an expert on water-demand management said on Monday. Besides water […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Mar 16,2017 AMMAN — Authorities on Wednesday arrested two people for allegedly stealing about 10,000 cubic metres of water per day from a main carrier in south Amman, according to a government official. The two alleged violators are now in custody, the official at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation said, […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Mar 19,2017 Minister of Water and Irrigation Hazem Nasser speaks at the opening of the Fourth Arab Water Week at the Dead Sea on Sunday (Photo courtesy of Ministry of Water and Irrigation) DEAD SEA — Arab and international banks and funds are urged to steer their financial support towards water […]

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Mar 20,2017 AMMAN — Jordan and France on Monday signed a 10-million-euro project agreement to boost the water sector’s resilience in northern Jordan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Water Minister Hazem Nasser and French Minister of State for Development and Francophonie Jean-Marie Le Guen signed the agreement detailing the project to be implemented by […]

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Amir Ben David|Published: 26.03.17 Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, called Israel’s proposed legislation to annex a section of disputed maritime territory a “declaration of war.” In an interview with Lebanese media, Berri said, “This will be the Shebaa Farms conflict at sea, which will open a situation with many dangerous possibilities.” Last week, […]

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By Suzanna Goussous – Mar 25,2017 AMMAN — Almost six months after the state-owned electricity company signed the gas deal with Israel, activists are still taking to the streets and protesting normalisation with Israel “on all levels”. Following the 49th anniversary of the Karamah Battle, protestors on Friday organised a march to denounce the gas […]

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Mar 22,2017 AMMAN — The International Renewable Energy Congress (IREC) 2017 commenced in Amman on Tuesday. Organised by the German-Jordanian University in cooperation with the Scientific Research Fund, researchers from 28 countries will be participating in the three-day conference. Manar Fayyad, deputy university president, said that Jordan, as many other neighbouring countries, lacks natural resources, […]

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Mar 18,2017 AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Saturday stressed the government’s commitment to overcome any obstacles to the implementation of electricity generation through the use of oil shale, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The project aims to increase self-reliance on local resources and to diversify energy sources, Mulki said, adding that the […]

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The second phase of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park was inaugurated Monday by Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The world’s largest single-site solar park located near Al Qudra in Dubai can generate up to 200MW solar energy daily, enough to power 50,000 […]

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In an effort to reduce plastic waste, shoppers in Tunisia will no longer be able to get single-use bags at supermarkets. If you happen to be shopping for groceries in Tunisia, you won’t be able to get a free, thin plastic bag in which to take home your purchases. As of 1 March 2017, single-use […]

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The lake where Christians believe Jesus walked on water has declined to its lowest level in a hundred years, an Israeli official said Tuesday. The Sea of Galilee, which is actually a lake, has suffered from four consecutive years of rain shortages, Amir Givati of Israel’s Water Authority told military radio. “The situation is serious,” […]

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Two new projects seek to stop the dramatic drop in water levels at the world’s lowest point. Zafrir Rinat Feb 25, 2017 It has been hard to find reasons for optimism about the Dead Sea in recent years. Its water level has continued to fall at a rate of over a meter per year, while […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Mar 07,2017 AMMAN — Current crop production could be achieved with 30 per cent less use of agricultural water, according to the findings of new research. An analysis on water and food security in Jordan indicated that there is potential for policies that reduce agricultural water needs, while still maintaining current […]

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