By SHARON UDASIN 03/19/2012 03:32 Conservation, renewables will not be sufficient to satisfy increasing demands. In order to maintain Israel’s energy security for the foreseeable future, the government must refrain from exporting its newfound natural gas supply, as well as ensure that these reserves are not the country’s sole source of electricity, experts said at […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 03/19/2012 23:30 Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau says portion of natural gas in Mediterranean Sea reservoirs should be exported. To maintain the needs of the Israeli economy, the country will need to export a portion of the natural gas in its Mediterranean Sea reservoirs, Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau said […]

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Cairo says will explore oil, gas sites near maritime border with Israel in effort to ‘stake its hold on the area’ Doron Peskin Published: 03.16.12, 13:27 / Israel Business A source at the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said Wednesday that Egypt plans to auction exploration sites for oil and gas near its […]

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Company holding talks with Warburg Pincus equity fund for approximately a half a billion dollars for offshore drilling in Israel Lior Gutman, Calcalist Published: 03.21.12, 08:48 / Israel Business US energy giant ATP has been conducting advanced negotiations with the Warburg Pincus private equity fund over the establishment of a gas and oil investment fund, […]

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Mar 21,2012 | 22:35 Today marks the World Water Day, an occasion when the issue of water crisis around the world needs to be highlighted. This crisis is acute in Jordan, one of the poorest countries in the world when it comes to water resources. Close to seven billion people inhabit the planet; of these, […]

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UN agency says most of springs are located on private Palestinian land, publishes testimonies by Palestinians who say they are afraid of approaching water sources due to settler violence. By Zafrir Rinat Settlers in the West Bank have seized control of dozens of springs in the past few years, and often use violence and intimidation […]

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BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian food production is hampered by limited access to abundant natural water resources, the water authority said Tuesday. In a report to mark World Water Day, observed Wednesday, the Palestinian Water Authority and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics warned that water shortages lowered food production. “Israeli actions of ongoing siege and […]

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University of Haifa study raises fears for future food crops. By Zafrir Rinat Global warming is causing genetic changes in wild cereal grains in Israel that could endanger food production, a recent study by University of Haifa scientists reveals. Wild cereal progenitors provide the genetic basis for improving cultivated varieties of wheat and barley. wheat, […]

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by Taylor Luck | Mar 21,2012 | 23:16 AMMAN — Jordanian and Iraqi energy officials have entered advanced talks over a natural gas deal that would provide the Kingdom with an alternative energy source within five years. According to Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Quteiba Abu Qura, Amman and Baghdad are discussing “in detail” […]

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Founder of electric vehicle initiative assures company will turn profit; calls to find more ‘Better Places,’ establish successful regulation Tomer Hadar, Calcalist Published: 03.14.12, 08:44 / Israel Business “Ever since last summer, ‘profitable’ has become a dirty word in Israel, but we’ll be profitable,” assured Better Place founder Shai Agassi at the first national conference […]

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Bronicki Investments sells 11.8% of stock to FIMI fund. By Yoram Gabison Bronicki Investments, owner of the controlling block of shares in Ormat Industries, finalized the sale of 11.8% of the alternative energy company’s capital stock to FIMI Opportunity Fund on Friday. The price: NIS 297 million at NIS 21.67 per share. The price is […]

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By ARIEH O’SULLIVAN / THE MEDIA LINE 03/18/2012 11:30 International community’s biggest challenge is producing enough nutritional food, delivering it to the hungry. Climate change, water shortages, higher energy prices, crop diseases and a rapidly expanding population. These are all factors that are making it increasingly difficult and risky for farmers and governments to ensure […]

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Report also foresees a further decrease in natural water resources due to climate change. By Zafrir Rinat The amount of rainwater reaching Lake Kinneret and groundwater reservoirs in Israel has decreased by 11 percent in the last two decades, according to a recent report by the Israel Water Authority. According to the report, which studied […]

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Water storage in dams reaches 112 million cubic metres Petra | Mar 17,2012 | 23:41 AMMAN — Water storage in the country’s major dams stood at 112 million cubic metres as of Saturday morning, Ministry of Water and Irrigation Spokesperson Adnan Zu’bi said. He noted that the total amount of water stored in the Kingdom’s […]

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by Hana Namrouqa | Mar 17,2012 | 23:33 AMMAN — Fifty per cent of the Disi Water Conveyance Project’s production wells have been drilled, as overall progress in venture reached 76 per cent, according to a source involved in the implementation of the project. Work on 28 production wells is completed, while the nine piezometer […]

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Green Economy is Re-Branding of Sustainable Development Nairobi, 21 February 2012 – AFED’s Secretary General Najib Saab was a panelist at a ministerial roundtable on Green Economy, during the UNEP Governing Council and the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) in Nairobi on 21 February. In face of some expressed doubts about green economy, in a […]

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Volume 17, No.168 5 Environment and public relations (editorial by Najib Saab) 10 How to protect your children from home poisons personal tips 18 Climate refugees (cover story) 24 Sinking Rufisque a city in Senegal devoured by the ocean 26 Natural gas for vehicles in Egypt 28 Dutch embassy in Amman, first LEED certified building […]

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The Eastern Mediterranean gas discoveries: conflict or cooperation? see: http://www.bitterlemons-international.org/index1.php Individual articles: The jury is still out Mamdouh G. Salameh The dispute is mostly a demarcation issue. http://www.bitterlemons-international.org/inside.php?id=1516 Cyprus: there may be some truth to the rumors an interview with Chris Pelaghias A liquefaction plant in Cyprus could change the balance of energy power in […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 03/14/2012 00:55 Public Utility Authority approves 9 licenses for fields; Arava Power confident it will complete first field by 2014. The Public Utility Authority approved on Monday afternoon nine licenses for the country’s first large photovoltaic solar fields, the regulatory body announced on Tuesday. The fields will amount to 385 MW, bringing […]

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Council agrees to scale back construction of new tourism facilities. By Zafrir Rinat A plan for tourism development along one of Israel’s most beautiful beaches has been significantly scaled back in response to a battle waged by local residents. The compromise reached over Habonim Beach by residents and the Hof Hacarmel Regional Council will now […]

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