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

314 - May 2024
Editorial
Forum
Antonio Guterres
UN Secretary-General's Statement on COP29
Antonio Guterres
COP29 comes at the close of a brutal year – a year seared by record temperatures, and scarred by climate disaster, all as emissions continue to rise
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Global Climate Leaders
Global climate leaders want COP29 to succeed but call for urgent overhaul of the process
Global Climate Leaders
It has become clear that constructive, supportive ideas developed some time ago on the COP process have been misinterpreted in today’s context
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Mathis Wackernagel
MY OBSESSION WITH OVERSHOOT
Mathis Wackernagel
There is no other possible future than a regenerative one
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Najib Saab
After ‘Arab Spring Floods’: Do Not Use Climate Change as Excuse
Najib Saab
Will the spring floods that hit some Arab countries serve as a reminder of the power of nature and the inevitability of respecting its rules
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Meet the
 Editor-in-Chief Najib Saab 		 
 
Selected articles News
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
 
The blue-green sustainable proteins of seaweed may soon be on your plate 15/11/2024
The protein in sea lettuce, a type of seaweed, is a promising complement to both meat and other current alternative protein sources. Seaweed also contains many other important nutrients, and is grown without needing to be watered, fertilised or sprayed with insecticides. However, the proteins are often tightly bound, and their full potential has not yet been realised on our plates.  But now researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden, have found a new way to extract these proteins three times more efficiently than before – and this progress paves the way for seaweed burgers and protein smoothies from the sea. ...more
 
Industry royally champions sustainable floriculture project led by Coventry University 9/10/2024
Coventry University is leading a project to reduce plastic, packaging and waste in the British cut-flower industry. ...more
 
Major boost in carbon capture and storage essential to reach 2°C climate target 27/9/2024
Large expansion of carbon capture and storage is necessary to fulfill the Paris Climate Agreement. Yet a new study led by Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden and University of Bergen, in Norway, shows that without major efforts, the technology will not expand fast enough to meet the 2°C target and even with major efforts it is unlikely to expand fast enough for the 1.5°C target. ...more
 
Europe’s deadly floods are glimpse of future climate 25/9/2024
Central Europe's devastating floods were made much worse by climate change and offer a stark glimpse of the future for the world's fastest-warming continent, scientists say. ...more
 
Which Countries Should Pay for International Climate Finance? 18/9/2024
The world needs trillions of dollars annually to combat climate change, but questions remain as to where that funding will come from. Most at stake are poorer countries that are the least protected — and hardest hit — from the increasing ravages of heat waves, storm surges and other extreme weather events exacerbated each year by climate change. Many of these countries lack the resources to undertake a rapid and just transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy without external help. ...more
 
World’s strongest battery paves way for light, energy-efficient vehicles 12/9/2024
When cars, planes, ships or computers are built from a material that functions as both a battery and a load-bearing structure, the weight and energy consumption are radically reduced. A research group at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden is now presenting a world-leading advance in so-called massless energy storage – a structural battery that could halve the weight of a laptop, make the mobile phone as thin as a credit card or increase the driving range of an electric car by up to 70 percent on a single charge. ...more
 
A method that paves the way for improved fuel cell vehicles 14/8/2024
More efficient and longer-lasting fuel cells are essential for fuel cell-powered heavy-duty hydrogen vehicles to be an alternative to combustion fuelled counterparts. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed an innovative method to study and understand how parts of fuel cells degrade over time. This is an important step towards the improved performance of fuel cells and them becoming commercially successful. ...more
 
Empowering women – a key to both sustainable energy and gender justice 13/8/2024
Involving women in implementing solar energy technologies in developing countries not only has great climate impact. A new study published in Nature Energy and carried out by researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, shows that empowering women through energy care work can change unjust, gendered norms and long-lived injustices. ...more
 
Could Australia become a green hydrogen superpower? 9/8/2024
“If you remember being a kid and blowing up a balloon or into a milkshake, your cheeks got sore because there is an energy penalty associated with bubble formation.” ...more
 
New Study: The price tag of phasing-out coal 15/5/2024
Coal phase-out is necessary to solve climate change, but can have negative impacts on workers and local communities dependent on coal for their livelihoods. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and Central European University in Austria have studied government plans for coal phase-out around the world and discovered that more than half of such plans include monetary compensation to affected parties. This planned compensation globally amounts to USD 200 billion, but it excludes China and India, the two largest users of coal that currently do not have phase-out plans. The study shows that if China and India decide to phase out coal as fast as needed to reach the Paris climate targets and pay similar compensation, it would cost upwards of USD 2 trillion. ...more
 
Toxic chemicals can be detected with new AI method 2/5/2024
Swedish researchers at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg have developed an AI method that improves the identification of toxic chemicals – based solely on knowledge of the molecular structure. The method can contribute to better control and understanding of the ever-growing number of chemicals used in society, and can also help reduce the amount of animal tests. ...more
 
High-precision diaphragm metering pump makes the “Electrolysis Made in Baden-Württemberg” system demonstrator fit for industrial application 14/4/2024
Effective decarbonization of German industry – and with it, the achievement of the climate targets with a secure energy supply at the same time – is unthinkable without the expansion of hydrogen technologies. Since they are a carbon-free energy source, they do not release any emissions during combustion. Hydrogen is also suitable as a storage medium to compensate for fluctuations in renewable energy production, since it can be produced via electrolysis using any power source. As part of the "Electrolysis Made in Baden-Württemberg" project, which was completed in 2023, the Baden-Württemberg Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW) has now strengthened the region as a hydrogen location for the long term. With the participation of 40 companies, a scalable system demonstrator for alkaline pressure electrolysis with an output of 1 MWel was engineered. The pump specialist LEWA from Leonberg, Germany, also contributed to the success of the project: an ecoflow diaphragm metering pump with Ex motor feeds the water required for hydrogen production into the process. As of 2026, the system will continue to operate in the H2 GeNeSiS model region and feed hydrogen into the new pipeline along the Neckar River. ...more
 
Ammonia attracts the shipping industry, but researchers warn of its risks 5/2/2024
Switching to ammonia as a marine fuel, with the goal of decarbonisation, can instead create entirely new problems. This is shown in a study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, where researchers carried out life cycle analyses for batteries and for three electrofuels including ammonia. Eutrophication and acidification are some of the environmental problems that can be traced to the use of ammonia – as well as emissions of laughing gas, which is a very potent greenhouse gas. ...more
 
US sets new Paris climate target that Trump is expected to ignore 20/12/2024
President Joe Biden's administration has set a new U.S. target under the Paris climate agreement to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 61%-66% below 2005 levels by 2035, a goal officials called achievable by states even if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on vows to reverse federal policies. ...more
 
Spain's electricity demand edges up as renewables break records 20/12/2024
The amount of electricity used in Spain has inched up this year after falling for two consecutive years, with a record 56% coming from renewable sources such as wind and solar, according to estimates on Thursday from grid operator Red Electrica. ...more
 
Automaking countries press EU to relax rules on CO2 fines 20/12/2024
The leaders of auto manufacturing hubs Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic on Thursday pressured Brussels to waive financial penalties on carmakers that miss EU emissions targets effective from next year. ...more
 
Pakistan and Bahamas join push for global pact to phase out fossil fuels 20/12/2024
Pakistan and the Bahamas have joined a growing bloc of climate-vulnerable countries seeking to broker a global pact to phase out fossil fuels in an equitable way, the Guardian can reveal. ...more
 
Montana top court says youth have right to stable climate 20/12/2024
Montana's top court ruled on Wednesday the state's constitution guarantees a right to a stable climate and invalidates laws barring regulators from considering the effects of greenhouse-gas emissions when permitting fossil-fuel projects. ...more
 
EU under pressure to weaken more climate policies, Denmark says 19/12/2024
The European Union is under fresh pressure from some governments within the bloc to weaken its laws to fight climate change, after already watering down some in response to political pushback, Denmark's climate minister said on Tuesday. ...more
 
EU Parliament gives final approval to deforestation law delay 19/12/2024
The European Parliament gave its final approval on Tuesday to a one-year delay of Europe's landmark deforestation law, which from December 2025 will ban the import of beef, soy and other goods linked to the destruction of forests. ...more
 
Major report joins dots between world's nature challenges 19/12/2024
Climate change, nature loss and food insecurity are all inextricably linked and dealing with them as separate issues won't work, a major report has warned. ...more
 
Coal use to reach new peak – and remain at near-record levels for years 19/12/2024
The world’s coal use is expected to reach a fresh high of 8.7bn tonnes this year, and remain at near-record levels for years as a result of a global gas crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. ...more
 
Chile's giant 'living fossil' frog faces threat from climate change and humans 19/12/2024
A giant frog species that hopped alongside dinosaurs and is considered a "living fossil" is now losing ground in its native Chile as climate change and human intervention damage its habitat. ...more
 
Abu Dhabi saves Scimitar-horned Oryx from extinction in Chad 18/12/2024
The Scimitar-horned Oryx has returned to the wild in the Republic of Chad, thanks to The Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi (EAD)’s efforts. ...more
 
One in four properties at flood risk by 2050 - report 18/12/2024
Around eight million properties in England - or one in four - could be at risk of flooding by 2050 as the danger increases due to climate change, the Environment Agency (EA) has said. ...more
 
Japan targets 40-50% power supply from renewables by 2040 18/12/2024
Japan wants renewable energy to account for up to 50% of its electricity mix by fiscal year 2040 with nuclear power taking up another 20%, according to a draft of its revised basic energy policy, as it makes a clean energy push while meeting rising power demand. ...more
 
Scientists struggle to explain record surge in global heat 18/12/2024
The world has been getting hotter for decades but a sudden and extraordinary surge in heat has sent the climate deeper into uncharted territory—and scientists are still trying to figure out why. ...more
 
Canada's cities are losing up to 19 days of winter 18/12/2024
In just the past 10 years, cities around the world, including in Canada, have lost weeks' worth of winter ski, skate and snow days each year due to climate change. They've been replaced by dozens of days of rain, melt and mud, according to a new analysis by Climate Central, a climate research and communications non-profit. ...more
 
Reuters Exclusive: Trump transition team plans sweeping rollback of Biden EV, emissions policies 17/12/2024
Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump’s transition team is recommending sweeping changes to cut off support for electric vehicles and charging stations and to strengthen measures blocking cars, components and battery materials from China, according to a document seen by Reuters. ...more
 
EV sales reach new highs in Australia, making up nearly 10% of car market 17/12/2024
Electric vehicle sales have reached new heights in Australia, representing almost one in every 10 vehicles bought in 2024, with popularity expected to almost double over the next two years. ...more
 
Indian capital tightens anti-pollution measures as air quality worsens 17/12/2024
India directed schools to move to hybrid mode for some grades, asked government offices to stagger timings for staff and imposed restrictions on vehicles in Delhi and adjoining regions as air quality deteriorated in the country's north on Monday. ...more
 
Disaster insurance set to test Italy's business backbone in 2025 17/12/2024
Italian companies are preparing to comply with a requirement to take out natural disaster insurance from next April, although some fear it will be hard to enforce and too costly. ...more
 
Seven quiet breakthroughs for climate and nature in 2024 17/12/2024
Global temperatures rose and extreme weather ramped up, but there were also some significant breakthroughs for the climate this year. Here are seven quiet wins that may have gone under your radar in 2024. ...more
 
Rich countries, island states lock horns on climate change at UN court 16/12/2024
The World Court concludes hearings on Friday on countries' legal obligation to fight climate change and whether large states contributing most to greenhouse-gas emissions should be liable for damage caused to small island nations. ...more
 
Big Oil Is Urging Trump Not to Pull Out of the Paris Accord 16/12/2024
One of the big questions in the climate world is where the U.S. stands now that a change in administration is imminent. ...more
 
UK Government unveils new powers to approve onshore wind farms 16/12/2024
The government has unveiled plans to give ministers the final say on approving large onshore wind farms rather than leaving decisions to local councils, where opposition has often been fierce. ...more
 
Wood heating could be worse than thought for rural air, study suggests 16/12/2024
We think of cities as the places with the worst air pollution, but studies are increasingly highlighting severe air pollution in rural towns and villages, mainly from wood heating. However, government measurement networks mainly focus on cities, overlooking the air breathed by the 20-30% of people in the UK and Europe that live in the countryside. ...more
 
Discovery of six rare Mekong giant catfish in Cambodia raises hopes for endangered species 16/12/2024
Six critically endangered Mekong giant catfish — one of the largest and rarest freshwater fish in the world — have been caught and released in Cambodia, reviving hopes for the survival of the species. ...more
 
 
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