editor’s note: The full report is available at http://www.afedonline.org/en/inner.aspx?contentID=1076 Amman, 27 November 2014 The Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) concluded its seventh annual conference on Arab food security. Held in Amman under the patronage of his majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, the conference brought together 750 delegates from 54 countries, representing […]

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Lobbying by manufacturers and importers of the plastic bags is impeding the proposed legislation’s passage. By Avi Bar-Eli | Nov. 27, 2014 The highly publicized Knesset bill that would ban free distribution by supermarkets of plastic bags seems to have little prospect of passing in its current form. The proposed legislation was touted as an […]

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28 Nov 2014 The United Nations has declared a state of emergency in the Gaza Strip after two days of heavy rains and flooding in the war-battered enclave. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) declared the state of emergency in Gaza City on Thursday, after torrential rain overwhelmed some areas and caused flooding. “Hundreds […]

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REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PLANT INAUGURATED IN BURJ BARAJNEH CAMP 28 November 2014 Beirut UNRWA has inaugurated a new reverse osmosis water plant in Burj Barajneh camp, Beirut. The plant will improve the quantity, quality and affordability of water in the camp, as well as access to potable water. This development forms part of UNRWA efforts […]

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AMMAN — Jordan will witness a steady increase in temperatures, more dry spells and a drop in precipitation during the coming decades as the impact of climate change becomes more apparent, according to the Third National Communication on Climate Change. Temperatures are expected to rise by 1.5°C-2.5°C by the year 2050, while precipitation in the […]

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The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), earlier this month, successfully completed the transfer of a Nubian Ibex herd to Wadi Rum nature reserve, where the herd will remain in a controlled environment that will allow them to adapt to the new habitat before their final release into the wild. The transfer came following a […]

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Najib Saab| The Daily Star Arabs import half of what they need in terms of basic foodstuffs. Agricultural production in the Arab countries faces tremendous challenges – mainly drought, limited arable land, scarce water resources and accelerated population growth, all amid the adverse impact of climate change. However, Arab countries have largely failed to adequately […]

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Nov 26, 2014 AMMAN — The Arab region, which imports about half of its food needs, can boost its food production primarily by improving productivity and irrigation efficiency, in addition to regional cooperation, according to a report that will be launched in Amman on Wednesday. The 2014 annual report by the Arab Forum for Environment […]

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Mohamed Badraoui 10/11/2014 In Morocco, agriculture is a strategic sector, economically and socially. It plays major roles in terms of food security and nutrition, supply for agro-industry, employment, integration into the international markets, stabilization of populations in rural areas, and sustainable development. Main Features of Agriculture in Morocco Food supply in Morocco, which is a […]

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Mohammed Zaatari| The Daily Star NABATIEH, Lebanon: A campaign to plant a million trees in south Lebanon, the “Tree for Every Citizen” project, was launched Monday by numerous associations under the patronage of Agriculture Minister Akram Chehayeb. The Green without Borders, Amal Baladi and Generations for Peace organizations launched the project with a ceremony held […]

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BEIRUT: Koura’s natural resources are at risk of disappearing due to several environmental breaches carried out in north Lebanon, MP Fadi Karam warned Monday, calling for action to end these violations. “It’s as if some greedy people are fed up with watching the Koura greenery, so they surrounded it with projects that aren’t suitable for […]

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Samar Kadi| The Daily Star BEIRUT: Ecotourism, a new global trend that enables people to travel and explore nature while minimizing their impact on the environment, is a big challenge in Lebanon, a country where concrete structures are mushrooming at the expense of green areas at an alarming pace. Decades of conflicts, uncontrolled urbanization, mining […]

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BEIRUT: Health Minister Wael Abu Faour ordered the closure of all unlicensed water companies selling bottled potable water Thursday, a day after revealing that the water they supplied was contaminated and carried traces of sewage, ministerial sources told The Daily Star. “Regardless of the quality of water being supplied and whether we have tested that […]

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Israel needs to see the Palestinians — including the Gazans — as an asset as they strive to join the regional power grid, the Quartet’s energy adviser tells Haaretz. By Avi Bar-Eli | Nov. 21, 2014 Ariel Ezrahi, the energy adviser to Quartet representative Tony Blair, is no politician, but he can’t help but provide […]

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Additional tension at the Al-Aqsa mosque could sink agreement, Jordanian minister tells the Financial Times. By Haaretz | Nov. 20, 2014 Increasing tensions between Israel and the Palestinians could scuttle a planned $15 billion gas deal between Israel and Jordan, according to a report in the Financial Times. The two countries signed a memorandum of […]

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Israeli gas deal would be largest collaboration between two countries since a 1994 peace treaty, has faced opposition from some senior lawmakers who say Israel should first deliver on peace. Reuters 10.27.14 Jordan expects to finalize a deal next month with Noble Energy Inc to supply the kingdom with natural gas from Israel’s Leviathan field, […]

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Israel signs deal with Egyptian company to supply a minimum of 5 million cubic meters of natural gas over the next three years. Avital Lahav 10.19.14 A deal signed between the Israeli Tamar gas reservoir and Egyptian company Dolphinus Holdings will soon bring to the resumption of natural gas flow Israel and Egypt. The gas […]

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Government says channel, slated to pass through farmland of four Jordan Valley kibbutzim, will not harm land. By Noa Shpigel | Nov. 26, 2014 About 100 Jordan Valley residents held a demonstration on Tuesday to protest a planned pipeline that would convey water from Lake Kinneret to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, claiming that the […]

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Editor’s note: The following article from the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University begins with economic policy but then pivots to the analysis of two central issues of regional environmental sustainability: water (and the associated overpumping of groundwater) and demands on environment resources from high population growth. SS IQTISADI: “Egypt’s Economy: Sisi’s Herculean Task” […]

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Tel Aviv University researchers study how to get Israelis to stop littering public spaces. By Dafna Maor | Nov. 19, 2014 Dirt in the streets, debris left in yards, mounds of garbage in national parks and along hiking trails. Why aren’t public spaces in Israel cleaner and what can be done about it? New research […]

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