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AFEDAnnualReports
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
 
COP30 highlights growing need of countries for resilience to storms, flood and fires 12/11/2025
With typhoons tearing across Southeast Asia this week while areas of Jamaica and Brazil are still clearing debris from damaging storms, delegates at Brazil's COP30 summit began grappling with how best to help the vulnerable withstand worsening weather and other climate extremes. ...more
 
Latest U.N. analysis shows climate pledges cutting emissions by 12% 12/11/2025
The yearly amount of planet-warming gases added to the atmosphere will decrease 12% by 2035 from 2019 levels, according to a new analysis published Monday by the U.N. climate change secretariat (UNFCCC). ...more
 
EU agrees to relax green rules in farming subsidy reform 12/11/2025
EU member states and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on an overhaul of the EU's huge farming subsidies, weakening environmental standards as part of plans to cut back regulations and paperwork for farmers. ...more
 
India could miss 2030 green hydrogen production goals, top official says 12/11/2025
Some export-focused green hydrogen projects in India are likely to start later than originally planned due to global policy uncertainties, potentially delaying the country's clean fuel ambitions, a senior government official said on Tuesday. ...more
 
China's CO2 emissions haven't risen for 18 months, analysis finds 12/11/2025
China's carbon dioxide emissions were flat year-on-year in the third quarter, extending a now 18-month streak of flat or falling emissions, an analysis for climate publication Carbon Brief found. ...more
 
Climate talks start with call for faster action and more togetherness, but without the US 11/11/2025
U.N. climate negotiations were expected to begin Monday at a meeting on the edge of the Brazilian Amazon, with leaders pushing for urgency, cooperation and acceleration after more than 30 years fighting to curb global warming by drastically reducing the carbon pollution that causes it. ...more
 
UN warns of millions displaced by climate change as COP30 opens in Brazil 11/11/2025
Weather-related disasters have forced a quarter of a billion people to flee in the last decade, says UNHCR. ...more
 
Safeguarding clean water access as climate threats rise 11/11/2025
As health emergencies multiply linked to the climate crisis, governments are joining forces with the UN to protect access to clean water, while data indicates that 118 million people in Europe alone live near healthcare facilities lacking basic sanitation.   ...more
 
Commission unveils nearly €3bn to scale up green fuels for aviation and maritime transport 11/11/2025
The plan to step up financing for sustainable fuels in shipping and aviation by 2027 comes as the bloc is falling short of decarbonising heavy transport by 2050. ...more
 
Growth in global demand for ‘green’ office buildings slows amid Trump policies 11/11/2025
Fall reported by Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors as UN calls for accelerated action in buildings sector to meet global climate goals. ...more
 
Najib Saab honored at AUB 10/11/2025
“Green Passion from AUB to the world” was the title of a lecture delivered by AFED secretary general Najib Saab at the American University of Beirut (AUB), as part of the Keepers of the Land lecture series, at the invitation of the Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU). He ended addressing the students: “It is Your Turn, Keep Your Passion Alive.” ...more
 
Piles of garbage and seeping sewage pollute devastated Gaza 10/11/2025
Stinking mounds of fly-covered garbage lie strewn throughout Gaza amid the rubble from Israel's devastating military campaign, spilling out along roadsides and between the tents where most of the shattered enclave's people live. ...more
 
COP30: The latest in climate science, from faster warming to coral collapse 10/11/2025
With the pace of climate change speeding up, extreme weather and other impacts are taking an increasing toll on populations and environments across the globe. Here are some of the developments this year in climate science: ...more
 
COP30: Could Brazil’s ‘Tropical Forest Forever’ fund help tackle climate change? 10/11/2025
Billed as the “Amazon COP”, the UN climate talks will see the debut of Brazil’s flagship fund to “reward” tropical countries for keeping their forests intact. ...more
 
Gates Foundation pledges $1.4 billion to help farmers adapt to extreme weather 10/11/2025
Billionaire Bill Gates' foundation will spend at least $1.4 billion over the next four years to help farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia access technologies for adapting to extreme weather, the organization's CEO told Reuters. ...more
 
Global emissions reach record high amid widening gap between climate policy ambition and implementation 7/11/2025
The implementation of climate policies by governments is slowing, widening the gap between policy action and climate commitments. The OECD Climate Action Monitor 2025finds that, based on its Climate Actions and Policies Measurement Framework (CAPMF), the number and stringency of policies increased by only 1% in 2024, confirming a loss of momentum since 2022. ...more
 
Experts call for new taxes on worst polluters to help poorer nations with climate crisis 7/11/2025
New taxes on the super-rich, fossil fuels, financial transactions and highly polluting and carbon-intensive activities should be explored as key ways of raising the finance needed to help poor countries, governments have been told in an influential report. ...more
 
Wildfires, rising temperatures imperil northern hemisphere forests, UN says 7/11/2025
Record wildfires and rising temperatures are threatening decades of forest growth in the northern hemisphere, potentially turning vital carbon sinks into carbon emitters, a new U.N. report said on Wednesday. ...more
 
The new revenue stream for Greece's struggling rice farmers? Wedding confetti 7/11/2025
Faced with droughts and sharper competition, Greek rice farmers are tapping into a new revenue stream: selling their cheap, broken rice to wedding goers instead of discarding it or using it for animal feed. ...more
 
Reuters Exclusive: Google deal for Amazon reforestation makes Brazilian startup its top carbon credit supplier 7/11/2025
Google has struck its biggest carbon removal deal, agreeing to finance restoration of the Amazon rainforest with Brazilian startup Mombak, as big tech hunts for high-quality credits to offset emissions tied to energy-hungry data centers. ...more
 
AFED at ORF and Cairo Forum 6/11/2025
Representing AFED at the Council meeting of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Cairo Forum, organized by the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies (ECES), AFED Secretary General, Najib Saab, called on Arab states to help create “Alliance of the Climate Willing” (countries which are committed to climate action). ...more
 
New climate pledges do little to correct global warming projection, UN warns 6/11/2025
Available new climate pledges by governments have only slightly lowered global temperature rise over the course of this century, leaving the world on the path to a serious escalation of climate risks and damages.  ...more
 
EU agrees weakened climate target in final-hour deal for COP30 6/11/2025
EU climate ministers agreed a 2040 climate change target in the early hours of Wednesday after watering down the goal in last-minute negotiations, as they raced to clinch the deal before the U.N. COP30 summit in Brazil. ...more
 
Global companies push for regulation on plastics reduction, report shows 6/11/2025
Global food and packaging companies, including Nestle (NESN.S), PepsiCo (PEP.O) and Unilever (ULVR.L) have vowed to collaborate on cutting plastic use and push for regulation after U.N. talks in August collapsed, a report published on Tuesday showed. ...more
 
STATEMENT: Baku to Belém Roadmap Lays Out Pathway to Scale Climate Finance  6/11/2025
Today, the COP presidencies of Azerbaijan and Brazil published the Baku to Belém Roadmap to $1.3T. This report represents a key output agreed to at COP29, detailing how to deliver $1.3 trillion annually for developing countries from all international sources by 2035. ...more
 
 
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