Summit aims to increase understanding, provide solutions to water, food and energy security issues By Imke van Smoorenburg – Feb 19,2022 A vegetable vendor’s stall is seen on the roadside in the Jordan Valley in this recent photo (Photo by Imke van Smoorenberg) AMMAN — The Water-Food-Energy (WFE) Summit held last January between Jordan, the […]

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By Shaddad Attili As the world fails to curb rising temperatures, the consequences of global warming pose a serious threat, particularly in regions that suffer from water and food scarcity, political conflict, instability and insecurity, and financial inability, such as Palestine, among many others. Not all countries contribute equally to greenhouse gas (GHG)i emissions or […]

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Opinion: Government’s decision to remove plastic waste bins from many neighborhoods, putting supermarkets in charge of accepting used plastic from customers may have advantages, but it has mostly created inconvenience and even more waste Baruch Stein | Published: 02.11.22 In addition to sale prices, a mandatory deposit is now withheld when buying nearly all drinks […]

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Planned $66 million project will see highly polluted area restored and fitted with camping sites, cafes and educational centers for the benefit of Palestinian enclave’s people Reuters | Published: 02.07.22 The United Nations is set to begin the restoration of a historic valley in the Palestinian Gaza Strip next month, hoping to transform it from […]

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World Bank report shows average resident will be ill for 60 days in his lifetime due to air pollution in the future, with town dwellers breathing 10 times the level of pollutants considered safe; nations like Egypt, Lebanon and Yemen will spend more than 3% of their GDP AFP Air pollution costs the Middle East […]

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By JT – Feb 10,2022 Her Majesty Queen Rania addresses the first-ever Earthshot Innovation Showcase at Expo 2020 Dubai in a prerecorded video that was broadcast on Thursday (Photo courtesy of Royal Court) AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania called on the global community to recognise the pressing need for a united and resilient front […]

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By JT – Feb 10,2022 AMMAN — Minister of Water and Irrigation Mohammad Al Najjar and Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Jordan Lee Jae-wan on Thursday inaugurated the construction works of the “Rehabilitation of Water Networks in Faqou’h District of Karak Governorate/2020-2024” project.  The project is funded with $9.27m from the Korea International […]

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The hawksbill sea turtle lay belly-up on the metal autopsy table, its shell ashen and stomach taut. A week ago, the adolescent turtle washed up on a beach in Kalba, a city on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates. Once unspoiled, the coast of mangrove trees is now fouled by piles of trash […]

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The city-state of Dubai announced Monday it would begin charging a fee on plastic bags used in the sheikhdom, with an aim of outlawing them entirely in two years over environmental concerns. A statement from the government-run Dubai Media Office said a 25-fil (6 cent) charge would start July 1. “Sustainability has now become an […]

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The U.N.’s humanitarian coordinator for war-torn Yemen said he held constructive talks with government officials and Huthi rebels over dealing with the threat posed by a rusting oil tanker abandoned offshore. Experts warn of the risk of a major environmental disaster posed by the 45-year-old FSO Safer, which lacks both power and a functioning fire […]

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Meteorological service forecasts include seven heat waves of over 48 degrees Celsius at Lake Kinneret a year, double the days above 34 in Jerusalem and much more extreme heat on the coast Lee Yaron Jan. 30, 2022 The average temperature in Israel is expected to increase 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050, the Israel Meteorological Service […]

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Everyone laments the vanishing of the Dead Sea. Yet discussions, articles and forecasts of decades ago show that every stage of the sea’s demise was actually anticipated in advance. Nir Hasson Jan. 15, 2022 “Anyone who wants to enjoy a voyage across the entire Dead Sea… should hurry and carry out his wish,” Haaretz reporter […]

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The Suez Canal Authority announced a plan to shift the Suez Canal into an eco-friendly canal that relies on renewable energy to preserve the environment and encourage environmentally friendly ships. George Mikhail@Guirguisfekri1 Environment and nature January 21, 2022 The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) is currently working to reduce the rising pollution rates and confront climate […]

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Ayelet Shaked exploits a legal loophole to permit construction on Poleg beach, which connects two nature reserves and serves as an ecological corridor for wildlife Zafrir Rinat Jan. 25, 2022 Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked signed an order this week allowing the construction of temporary facilities for the Maccabiah Games in July on an ecologically sensitive […]

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By Maria Weldali – Jan 24,2022 Neighbourhoods play a crucial role in creating a resilient city, according to the study titled ‘Aqaba: A Resilient City through its Neighbourhoods’ (JT file photo) AMMAN — A study titled “Aqaba: A Resilient City through its Neighbourhoods” showed that sustainable mobility, environment and urbanisation are critical facets of the […]

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Following clashes between Jews and Arabs across Israel during May’s Gaza war, the campaign by residents of the Tel Aviv suburbs of Kafr Qasem and Rosh Ha’ayin waned, but it has since been revived Deiaa Haj Yahia Jan. 24, 2022 Raz Sagi, a city council member from the Jewish Tel Aviv suburb of Rosh Ha’ayin, […]

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By Imke van Smoorenburg – Jan 12,2022 Wind turbines are seen at the Tafileh Wind Farm, some 180km southwest of Amman (File photo) AMMAN — Jordan has secured a pioneering status in renewables, yet it is still facing a major challenge: Energy surplus. Interviewed by The Jordan Times, officials and experts underlined the need to […]

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By JT – Dec 02,2021 AMMAN — Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh on Thursday urged local renewable energy companies to optimise the available opportunities at the local and regional levels through intensifying efforts, notably forming national coalitions. Kharabsheh’s remarks came during a meeting with representatives from Jordanian companies and institutions working in […]

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Strict environmental laws protected Oman’s pristine ecosystems, benefited public health and strengthened tourism’s value proposition, but will it last? Sebastian Castelie Environment and nature January 7, 2022 “Investors have historically complained that Oman’s environmental regulatory architecture is draconian. Most investors in Oman are not billion-dollar firms, right? They are small investors from neighboring countries and […]

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Iraq is planning to complain to the International Court of Justice about the drop in water flow from Iran. Iraq is planning to file a lawsuit against Iran for water cuts, according to Iraq’s Minister of Water Resources Mahdi Rashid Al Hamdani.  Iraq has received only one-tenth of what it was receiving in the past […]

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