By Hana Namrouqa – Jun 29,2015 AMMAN — The Ministry of Agriculture on Monday announced a new policy to end violations on bare forest lands, with 12,000 violations currently registered across the Kingdom. Under the new policy, the agriculture and interior ministries will enhance monitoring and handling of violations on uncultivated forest land, while the […]

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Ambrosia confertiflora is a major threat to crops, public areas and local shrubbery. By Zafrir Rinat | Jul. 2, 2015 The invasive weed Ambrosia confertiflora was not known in Israel two decades ago. But in recent years it has become a major threat to agricultural crops, public areas and natural shrubbery. So much so that […]

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BEIRUT: Agriculture Minister Akram Chehayeb met with several Lebanese officials Monday to gain support for a proposal to export agricultural goods ahead of Thursday’s Cabinet meeting. “After confirming that Cabinet will meet for a session Thursday, I hope that this issue will be placed as the first agenda item,” the agricultural minister said after meeting […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Jun 27,2015 AMMAN — Pumping water from the Mujib Dam to Karak will commence during the first week of July to supply the southern governorate with 5 million cubic metres (mcm) of water annually, officials said on Saturday. The Ministry of Water and Irrigation started experimental pumping from the JD11-million project […]

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July 2, 2015 Mohammed Zaatari| The Daily Star SIDON, Lebanon: The Municipality of Sidon will construct a new public garden in the southern city, with a ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the new green space set for Thursday. Sidon Public Garden will stretch 7,000 square meters and extend over to the city’s waterfront. […]

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JERUSALEM, July 2, 2015 (WAFA) – The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has donated an additional $2.1 million to help improve Palestinian students’ access to safe, drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities across the West Bank and Gaza. The contribution aims to support UNICEF’s water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in Schools programme. […]

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As vast numbers of jellyfish plastered themselves on the filters leading to the cooling systems, the Ashkelon plant shunted them off into special containers. By Ruth Schuster | Jun. 25, 2015 A swarm of giant jellyfish arrived at the Rutenberg power plant in Ashkelon Wednesday, which however was prepared with filters to keep the slimy […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 06/22/2015 Green Globe winners, and loser, to be recognized tomorrow as part of Knesset Environment Day. As a result of the oil spill that ravaged the Arava Desert this December, the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline Company will be recognized as the worst environmental offender for the year in Israel, at this Tuesday’s Green Globe […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 06/23/2015 If filed, such a lawsuit would relate to the ecological damages caused by the company and would be unprecedented. Environmental Protection Ministry officials said on Tuesday that they would be considering opening a civil lawsuit in addition to the existing criminal investigation against the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline Company as a result of […]

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Jun 25,2015 – Last updated at Jun 25,2015 Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour chairs a meeting on Thursday to discuss electricity theft (Petra photo) AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said Thursday that electricity thefts and violations must be addressed to reduce the losses incurred and ensure respect for the law, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 06/22/2015 As members choose the winning hotspots, the project’s leaders would direct the funds to local, on-the-ground environmental organizations, capable of actually cementing the land purchase Aiming to save ecological hotspots in critical danger around the world, an Israeli-led group of conservationists are recruiting members of the global public to help fundraise […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 06/23/2015 Israel must respond to climate change, by both adapting to transforming environmental conditions and by working to mitigate the impact of the circumstances. The government must swiftly adopt a plan to prepare for the impacts of climate change and the requisite reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, environmental organizations argued in a […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 06/22/2015 Since its founding in 1975 by the late MK Yosef Tamir, movement has grown from a fledgling organization to a group that houses most of Israel’s environmental NGOs. Shaping the umbrella group that now houses 130 environmental organizations has involved a journey “unprecedented” in Israeli civil society, the current and former […]

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ISIL threatens to flood downstream towns and deprive them of a resource for daily survival and irrigation. 19 Jun 2015 10:22 GMT | War & Conflict, Politics, Middle East, Iraq, Syria Ibrahim Al-Marashi Ibrahim al-Marashi is an assistant professor at the Department of History, California State University, San Marcos. He is the co-author of “Iraq’s […]

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June 25, 2015 10:15 A.M. (Updated: June 25, 2015 10:15 A.M.) JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — A $2 million grant to the Palestinian water sector has been given by the World Bank to strengthen the capacity of the water authority and contribute to implement reform initiatives as outlined in the water law. “With the new water law, […]

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Jun 25,2015 – Last updated at Jun 25,2015 AMMAN — The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the political risk insurance and credit enhancement arm of the World Bank Group, is backing the development, construction and operation of four solar power projects in Jordan, adding 50 megawatts of clean, renewable energy generation capacity to the country’s […]

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Jun 25,2015 – Last updated at Jun 25,2015 AMMAN — The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation recently signed a grant agreement valued at 750,000 euros with the German Development Bank (KfW) to finance the Solid Waste Management Programme’s consultative services and feasibility studies. The project will be implemented in cooperation with the Greater Amman […]

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By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH 06/15/2015 Dr. Zvi Peleg wins Kaye Innovation Award for recognizing ancient crop’s ability to feed a hungry world. Sesame seeds are not just tehina to add to your hummus. New strains developed in a technique innovated by a Hebrew University plant geneticist will make it possible to increase the yield of sesame […]

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Fears of corruption will not stop the exploration of potentially vast – and vastly lucrative – offshore resources. Martin Armstrong | 16 Jun 2015 Beirut, Lebanon – A series of oil exploration deals, which may be worth billions of dollars to Lebanon’s economy, are being held up amid the country’s presidential vacuum and political chaos […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Jun 18,2015 – Last updated at Jun 18,2015 Pumps installed illegally on water meters in several areas in Karak were diverting some 2,880 cubic metres of water daily to nearby farms for the irrigation of trees, according to the Water Ministry AMMAN — The Ministry of Water and Irrigation is estimating […]

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