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Environment and development AL-BIA WAL-TANMIA Leading Arabic Environment Magazine

314 - May 2024
Editorial
Forum
Najib Saab
Coalition of 'climate willing' partners needed
Najib Saab
Climate action is facing unprecedented challenges, due to the rise of populist movements led by the United States administration
more...

Nate Blum
Sorghum and the Carbon Economy: Unlocking Nature-Based Solutions for a Warming Planet
Nate Blum
As the planet faces increasing climate-related challenges, there’s growing recognition that some of the most powerful solutions may come from the natu
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Antonio Guterres
A RESCUE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Antonio Guterres
This month, leaders will gather in Sevilla, Spain, on a rescue mission: to help fix how the world invests in sustainable development
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Tom Pickerell
UN Ocean Conference Ends with Momentum — and Missed Chances
Tom Pickerell
There's real momentum coming out of Nice — but also a lot of unfinished business
more...
 
 
 
Meet the
 Editor-in-Chief Najib Saab 		 
 
Selected articles News
Climate Action Has a Messaging Problem 14/9/2025
In the summer of 2024, Dutch citizens ranked climate change as the most serious problem facing the world. Just a few months later, they elected a national government that ran on a platform of pulling back its climate policies. ...more
 
Europe’s Soaring Heat and the Great Air Conditioning Dilemma 21/8/2025
Much of Europe sweltered in August 2025 as a heat dome spread across the continent, pushing peak afternoon temperatures to over 40 degrees C (104 degrees F) in France and Spain. Meanwhile, parts of Greece, Turkey and Albania battled historic and devastating wildfires as high temperatures scorch the land. ...more
 
Planned hydrogen refuelling stations may lead to millions of euros in yearly losses 10/7/2025
As hydrogen infrastructure is rolled out in the EU, refuelling stations must be distributed according to the same principle in all countries. But now a study from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, points to shortcomings in EU regulations. Using an advanced model, the researchers show that the distribution of refuelling stations may both be incorrectly dimensioned and lead to losses of tens of millions of euros a year in some countries. ...more
 
Ships trigger high and unexpected emissions of the greenhouse gas methane 3/7/2025
Ship traffic in shallow areas, such as ports, can trigger large methane emissions by just moving through the water. The researchers in a study, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, observed twenty times higher methane emissions in the shipping lane compared to nearby undisturbed areas. Despite the fact that methane is a greenhouse gas that is 27 times as powerful as carbon dioxide, these emissions are often overlooked with today's measurement methods. ...more
 
Agricultural waste can become the clothes of the future 17/6/2025
Cellulose-based textile materials can make the clothing sector more sustainable. Currently, cellulose-based textiles are mainly made from wood, but a study headed by researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden points to the possibility of using agricultural waste from wheat and oat. The method is easier and requires fewer chemicals than manufacturing forest-based cellulose, and can enhance the value of waste products from agriculture. ...more
 
Transforming waste into a public asset: Michigan State University leads next-generation anaerobic digestion innovation 10/6/2025
MSU is spearheading next-generation anaerobic digestion technologies that convert agricultural and food waste into renewable energy, recover nutrients and water, and support environmental sustainability across Michigan and the Great Lakes region. ...more
 
Massive Growth Ahead: Low Carbon Building Market Eyes $1.3 Trillion by 2033 14/5/2025
According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, the low carbon building market size was valued at $0.6 trillion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $1.3 trillion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 9.1% from 2024 to 2033. ...more
 
A Step Toward Harnessing Clean Energy From Falling Rainwater 23/4/2025
When two materials come into contact, charged entities on their surfaces get a little nudge. This is how rubbing a balloon on the skin creates static electricity. Likewise, water flowing over some surfaces can gain or lose charge. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have harnessed the phenomenon to generate electricity from rain-like droplets moving through a tube. They demonstrate a new kind of flow that makes enough power to light 12 LEDs ...more
 
Difficult and costly energy transition unless the EU invests in biomass 22/4/2025
Biomass is currently the EU’s largest renewable energy source, but climate strategies often focus on other energy sources. A comprehensive analysis, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, now shows that biomass is crucial for Europe's ability to reach its climate targets, as it can be used to produce fossil-free fuels and chemicals and also enables carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. If biomass were excluded from the European energy system, it would cost an extra 169 billion Euros per year – about the same as the cost of excluding wind power. ...more
 
Renting clothes for sustainable fashion – niche markets work best 27/3/2025
Renting clothes can reduce the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, but so far, the business models have not worked very well. The best chance of success is for a rental company to provide clothing within a niche market, such as specific sportswear, and to work closely with the suppliers and clothing manufacturers. This is shown by a study led by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, which highlights the measures that can make clothing rental a success. ...more
 
Ice stupas of the Ladakh desert: an ingenious solution to water scarcity – a picture essay 28/1/2025
Farmers in the northern Indian region used to rely on snow and glacier meltwater, but the climate crisis is disrupting the water cycle – which means new ways of storing water are needed ...more
 
Toxic waste from world's deadliest gas leak fuels protests in India 23/1/2025
Vegetable vendor Shivnarayan Dasana had never seen so many policemen descend on his village in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. ...more
 
Natural disasters in the past 12 months have been the most costly and impactful stretch of extreme weather in America in 90 years 18/1/2025
Experts at AccuWeather say extreme weather events and disasters in the past 12 months have had the costliest and most widespread impacts that Americans have faced in nearly a century.    ...more
 
Arab-Israeli Environmental Cooperation: A Controversial Path to Peace Amid Ecocide 28/11/2024
On August 30, 2024, amid the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced that Lebanon joined the Saudi-led Middle East Green Initiative (MGI), describing the step as crucial, especially for southern border towns and villages that are suffering significant environmental and agricultural damage. ...more
 
CO2 & Waste-Derived Bioplastics: Pioneering Sustainable Manufacturing 22/11/2024
As the world grapples with the environmental impact of traditional plastics, bioplastics derived from carbon dioxide (CO2) and waste materials present a promising solution. This emerging sustainable market seeks to address two critical global challenges: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and managing waste. By converting CO2 and waste into useful bioplastics, scientists and companies are pioneering technologies that could revolutionize the way we produce and consume plastics. ...more
 
EU risks channeling climate funds to dirty energy projects, experts say 3/12/2025
Scientific experts and civil society organisations criticised the European Commission's decision to consider gas pipelines eligible for EU climate funding for the development of hydrogen infrastructure. Critics say it's greenwashing and expensive. ...more
 
‘If we wait it will be too late’: Why 500 scientists are backing this urgent climate declaration 3/12/2025
The Dartington Declaration calls for ‘unprecedented’ cuts to emissions to prevent global temperatures exceeding 1.5℃. ...more
 
UK and Europe’s hidden landfills at risk of leaking toxic waste into water supplies 3/12/2025
Thousands of landfills across the UK and Europe sit in floodplains, posing a potential threat to drinking water and conservation areas if toxic waste is released into rivers, soils and ecosystems, it can be revealed. ...more
 
Air pollution linked to over 180,000 deaths in the EU. Which country was hit the hardest? 3/12/2025
Air pollution remains one Europe’s deadliest environmental threats despite recent progress. ...more
 
BMW sets new mid-term climate goal 3/12/2025
German carmaker BMW (BMWG.DE) aims to cut its CO2 equivalent emissions by at least 60 million metric tons by 2035 from 2019 levels, it said on Tuesday, setting new mid-term goals within the longer-term target of achieving net zero by 2050. ...more
 
Switzerland: Voters reject climate tax in referendum 2/12/2025
More than 78% of Swiss voters opposed the introduction of a new inheritance tax on multimillionaires, the proceeds of which would have been directed toward "socially just measures to combat the climate crisis." ...more
 
Hole in Antarctic ozone layer shrinks to smallest since 2019, scientists say 2/12/2025
EU’s Copernicus monitoring service hails ‘reassuring sign’ of progress observed this year in hole’s size and duration. ...more
 
Poland-Belarus: When human borders harm nature 2/12/2025
Poland's controversial border fence is meant to deter irregular migration, but it also blocks wildlife movement in the unique Bialowieza forest. Scientists say it's damaging the ancient ecosystem and threatening lynx. ...more
 
Zillow deletes climate risk data from listings after complaints it harms sales 2/12/2025
Zillow, the US’s largest real estate listing site, has removed a feature that allowed people to view a property’s exposure to the climate crisis, following complaints from the industry and some homeowners that it was hurting sales. ...more
 
Shark fishing ban to bring endangered species back from brink 2/12/2025
UN conference announces regulations on trade of 70 species of sharks and rays. ...more
 
Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi and International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture complete UAE’s 1st Ghaf tree population genomics study 1/12/2025
As part of a pioneering scientific collaboration, the Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi (EAD) and the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) have completed the first-ever population genomics study of the Ghaf tree (Prosopis cineraria) in the country, revealing significant genetic insights critical for conserving this iconic desert species and supporting the development of climate-resilient ecosystems across the UAE. ...more
 
Mediterranean, Black Sea fish stocks show recovery but threats persist, UN says 1/12/2025
Fishing pressure in the Mediterranean and Black Sea has fallen sharply over the past decade, but just over half of assessed fish populations remain overfished and climate threats are mounting, the U.N. food agency said in a report on Friday. ...more
 
Revealed: Europe’s water reserves drying up due to climate breakdown 1/12/2025
Vast swathes of Europe’s water reserves are drying up, a new analysis using two decades of satellite data reveals, with freshwater storage shrinking across southern and central Europe, from Spain and Italy to Poland and parts of the UK. ...more
 
Africa’s forests transformed from carbon sink to carbon source, study finds 1/12/2025
Alarming shift since 2010 means planet’s three main rainforest regions now contribute to climate breakdown ...more
 
Many ships found breaching pollution limits despite tighter controls 1/12/2025
Researchers using aircraft to sample exhaust plumes say infringements persist – even in stricter zones. ...more
 
European Parliament supports year-long deforestation law delay 28/11/2025
The European Parliament on Wednesday voted in favour of delaying the implementation of the European Union's deforestation law by one year. ...more
 
Australia needs to speed up emissions cuts to meet 2035 target 28/11/2025
Australia will need to sharply accelerate emissions reductions to meet its 2035 target, data from the government's top climate advisory body showed on Thursday. ...more
 
Only nine countries doing well on municipal waste recycling, EU auditors say 28/11/2025
The European Court of Auditors says a frail recycling industry, poor funding management and insufficient funds are all major obstacles. ...more
 
How extreme weather is making plastic pollution more mobile, more persistent and more hazardous 28/11/2025
The surging tide of microplastics is already an environmental and health threat, but as the world heats up — driving increasingly extreme weather — it’s transforming them into “more mobile, persistent, and hazardous pollutants,” according to a new study, which calls for urgent action. ...more
 
Quiz: Which objects actually get recycled? 28/11/2025
When you throw something in the recycling bin, where does it really end up? ...more
 
Stormy days are becoming more common in the UAE because of climate change, study finds 27/11/2025
Climate change is making stormy days in the UAE more common and more intense, according to a new study. ...more
 
Trump seeks to ease US regulations for coal-fired power plants 27/11/2025
President Donald Trump's administration has asked a federal court to strike down 2024 soot limits for power plants and factories and separately delayed by three years a deadline for coal plants to clean up coal waste. ...more
 
Links between climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution highlight need for policies that work together 27/11/2025
Environmental challenges are becoming increasingly interconnected, with climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and resource pressures reinforcing one another in ways that require policies in each area to work together more effectively, according to a new OECD report. ...more
 
Mountains Are Warming Faster, Putting Billions at Risk 27/11/2025
Nature study finds quicker warming, more rain (less snow), higher flood danger—from the Alps to the Andes and Himalayas ...more
 
AI’s Role in Wildfire Prevention 27/11/2025
AI startups are aiding power companies across Europe and the United States to prevent wildfires. ...more
 
 
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