Sunday 24 Sep 2017 |
Arabic
AFED Conference 2017
 
KFAS
Environment and development AL-BIA WAL-TANMIA Leading Arabic Environment Magazine

September 2017 - 234
Editorial
Forum
NAJIB SAAB
If I were Neymar
NAJIB SAAB
While some countries cut budgets allocated for scientific research and the environment because they consider them a luxury at a time of austerity, the
more...

Akram Miknas
From the dust we came and to the dust we shall return
Akram Miknas
In too many parts of the Arab world, we are so busy killing each other that we’re hardly aware of the most serious threats our region faces
more...

Najib Saab
AFED Founding Trustee Maroun Semaan Passes Away
Najib Saab
Secretary General of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) Najib Saab announced to AFED community the passing of founding trustee Maro
more...

MOHAMED EL-ASHRY
White House Denies Greenhouse: Why Arabs Shouldn’t Follow Trump
MOHAMED EL-ASHRY
On March 28, President Trump signed an executive order that would roll back much of the United States Government efforts to curb greenhouse gas
more...
 
 
 
Meet the
 Editor-in-Chief Najib Saab 		 
 
Selected articles News
FactCheck: The facts on Trump's EPA nominee 15/12/2016
Scott Pruitt, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has made some questionable claims related to global warming, fracking and the Clean Power Plan. ...more
 
AFED Secretariat Annual Work Report 2016 10/11/2016
Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) is closing its most challenging year, in a region overwhelmed by security and economic turmoil. Although we continue to believe that, after all sorts of conflicts and wars, people will still need to preserve and develop their natural capital that they need for survival, AFED is being stripped of minimum resources to execute its mission ...more
 
Waste trade: exporting countries responsible to return refused waste. Interview with Rolph Payet. 2/3/2016
As part of its cover story about Waste trade, in the March-April 2016 issue, Al-Bia Wal-Tanmia magazine conducted this interview with Rolph Payet, executive secretary of the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. ...more
 
Strong climate deal good for Arab countries 4/12/2015
Climate change, once considered an issue for the future, has now moved firmly into the present. Few days before a new climate change deal is due to be agreed in Paris, the question is no longer whether there will be an agreement but what shape and how strong it will be. ...more
 
Sustainable consumption: AFED’s 2015 report and public opinion survey 19/11/2015
In 2009, an Arab Regional Strategy for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) was adopted by the League of Arab States. This was one of the first such regional strategies to be developed before the RIO+20 summit, which had adopted the 10 Year Framework of Programs (10YFP) on SCP. Consequently, the Arab Region moved forward and became the first region to develop and adopt a Roadmap for Implementation of the 10YFP on SCP at the regional level in June 2013. However, as is the case in most Arab regional strategies, both the roadmap and the SCP regional strategy are far from being implemented at the national levels. Development and implementation of SCP strategies in most Arab countries are still lagging. ...more
 
ACWA Power Develops 200 MW Solar PV Plant in Dubai: 5.84 Cents per kWh Sets New Global Pricing Benchmark 19/11/2015
In March 2015, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with a consortium of ACWA Power and TSK for a 200 MW net solar photo-voltaic (PV), under Phase II of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the Middle East’s largest renewable energy park. The bid tariff set a new global pricing benchmark for renewable energy generated from utility scale PV panels at USD 5.84 cents/kWh without subsidies. The second phase is based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model and is intended to be operational by April 2017. The project, which occupies 4.5 Km2, will help to achieve a reduction of 400,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. ...more
 
Impact of phasing out water subsidies in Tunisia and Morocco on consumption: a general equilibrium approach 19/11/2015
Morocco and Tunisia are considered among the countries where the scarcity of water resources may cause a serious constraint to the development of their economies. The agricultural sector is the most important consumer of water with more than 80% of the total. Moreover, both countries have shown an increase in the share of GDP accounted for by the nonfarm sectors, which imply an increase in residential water demand as well as manufacturing and service sectors. Consequently, if production growth in the non-farm sectors requires a proportional increase of water demand factor , then water can be a major constraint to economic growth in both countries. ...more
 
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CLIMATE-RESILIENT SEEDS AS A POSSIBLE RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE-INDUCED FOOD SHORTAGES 4/9/2015
Climate change is predicted to have dramatic impacts on agricultural production globally. Although food production in some regions of the world may benefit from increasing average temperatures, most of the world will face severe challenges in adapting agricultural systems to the predicted climatic changes. ...more
 
Food Security and Climate Change: the UAE Experience 15/5/2015
The Arab world faces critical challenges in ensuring its food security. Our region is already the world’s largest net importer of essentials such as cereals and sugar, low water supplies in the region mean that expanding agricultural production is difficult, and population growth means that more people must be fed each year. In many ways, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) presents an exemplary case of this challenge. ...more
 
The UNDP-CEDRO Program’s Solar Power Initiatives 5/3/2015
The CEDRO project, a UNDP executed program, has been established since 2007, originally through a generous grant from the Government of Spain, through the Lebanon Recovery Fund, of approximately $10 million. At that time, renewable energy at large, and solar power in specific (with the exception of residential solar hot water systems), have not yet begun to be well propagated and/established. ...more
 
Conflict, refugees and food insecurity in the Arab region 5/3/2015
Conflict has a direct and indirect effect on food security, undermining it through various channels. Its direct effects are numerous – the destruction of infrastructure and machinery; death of livestock; razing of farm land,; and blocked access to markets for producers, distributors, and consumers. Indirectly, conflict discourages productive investment in agriculture, thereby reducing the availability of food. It strips government of tax revenues that prevent the establishment of social safety nets which promote food security. ...more
 
Virtual Water Trade as a Policy Instrument Contributing to the Achievement of Food Security in the GCC Countries 5/3/2015
The concept of ‘virtual water’ has been introduced by Tony Allan in the early nineties (Allan, 1993; 1994). However, it took nearly a decade to get global recognition for the importance of the concept of achieving regional and global water security. The "virtual water" content of a product, as often defined, is the volume of water used to produce the product, measured at the place where the product was actually produced (i.e., a production site specific definition). ...more
 
Review of the likely impact of climate change on agriculture in selected Arab countries 5/3/2015
Climate change is expected to impact agriculture in the region in one way or another. Below is a short review of the anticipated impact of climate change on agricultural in selected Arab countries. ...more
 
How should we tackle natural conservation of Lebanon?: Japanese Ambassador `s observation 5/3/2015
The East Mediterranean, a cradle of the civilizations, is blessed with a diverse and plentiful nature. But this nature is endangered. Nowadays we can observe that the growth range of the Lebanese Cedars has diminished quite drastically. ...more
 
Developing Fish Resources in the Arab World 7/1/2015
The Arab World is rich with large fish resources providing health and cheap proteins to Arabs, compared to animal proteins from other resources. Since the Arab World suffers a shortage in grazing and animal feed resources, which limits the capability to expand meat production, it is very important to sustain the contribution of fish resources in providing animal proteins to the Arab food basket; actually, this sector must be developed to sustainably increase its contribution to the Arab food security system. ...more
 
Electric cars join Dubai police fleet 22/9/2017
Because of their quiet attitude, you may not readily notice them when going through the Dubai airport. ...more
 
New Antarctic farm will grow produce despite temperatures of -100 degrees F 22/9/2017
Imagine having to go months without an adequate supply of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables. Scientists based in Antarctica know this struggle, which is why engineers at the German Aerospace Center (GAC) are building a high-tech, 135-square-foot indoor farm that can grow an abundance of produce — even when temperatures are -100 degrees Fahrenheit outside. ...more
 
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation donates $20M to support environmental causes 22/9/2017
The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) just announced their biggest portfolio of environmental grants ever given. LDF is giving $20 million to organizations working for conservation, climate solutions, and indigenous rights, to name a few. ...more
 
New York City to install around 1,000 fast-chargers for EVs 22/9/2017
New York City aims to majorly expand their electric vehicle (EV) charging network with a $10 million investment. They recently introduced a plan to bring 50 fast-charging hubs to the city by 2020 – and each hub could have 20 chargers. ...more
 
Plastic-degrading fungus found in Pakistan trash dump 22/9/2017
We’re filling up the world with plastic, and the material takes up to a millennium to break down in landfills. A group of scientists sought a solution to our plastic problem in nature – and they actually found one: a plastic-devouring soil fungus. ...more
 
Ras Al Khaimah rolls out kerbside recycling 21/9/2017
Ras Al Khaimah reached a major environmental milestone on Wednesday when the emirate rolled out a sweeping new recycling programme to divert 75 per cent of its waste away from the landfill. ...more
 
Denmark launches global alliance for action on climate change 21/9/2017
A U.S.-based global alliance to speed up efforts to tackle climate change, whose participants inaugural host country Denmark said represented more than a quarter of the world economy, will be launched on Wednesday. ...more
 
Germany to miss EU green energy goal: study 21/9/2017
Germany will miss a European Union renewable energy target by a wider margin than previously predicted, a study showed on Wednesday. ...more
 
New diesel cars no better for environment than petrol cars: report 21/9/2017
New diesel cars do not produce less of the environmentally damaging carbon dioxide than petrol cars, a group of newspapers cited the German Transport Ministry as saying on Wednesday, in a potential further headache for the auto sector. ...more
 
China to halt new projects in pollution 'red zones' 21/9/2017
China will halt major projects in regions with high levels of pollution, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Wednesday, underscoring an environmental crackdown that is starting to hit business around the country. ...more
 
UAE climate action road map presented at United Nations 20/9/2017
A new road map proposed by the UAE to help its businesses embrace carbon emission reductions as part of the Paris Agreement was announced by Thani Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, at the 72nd UN General Assembly in New York on Monday. ...more
 
Polluters must pick up tab for damage to planet: U.N. environment chief 20/9/2017
Turning the planet’s environmental fortunes around is achievable if businesses, politicians and citizens work towards a common goal, with the biggest polluters picking up the bill, said the United Nations’ environment chief. ...more
 
German union, car group seek government support for electric shift 20/9/2017
Germany’s biggest union and its car industry association urged politicians on Tuesday to help with a shift to electric vehicles and not force a phasing out the combustion engine. ...more
 
Dozens of Japanese cities and towns quietly go off-grid 20/9/2017
Dozens of cities and towns in Japan have quietly shifted from traditional utility-based grid power system to a more local, resilient model of generating and storing energy where it is used. ...more
 
Energy firms back EU plan for CO2 cap on power subsidies 20/9/2017
A group of energy firms has backed a disputed plan by EU regulators to attach emissions limits to subsidies for providing back-up power capacity to avert blackouts. ...more
 
Kuwait tackles another offshore oil spill: state news agency 19/9/2017
Major oil exporter Kuwait is dealing with another crude oil spill off its southern coast, state news agency KUNA said on Monday, the latest in a series of unexplained leaks in the Gulf Arab state in recent months. ...more
 
France plans new incentives to phase out polluting vehicles 19/9/2017
The French government is planning a series of new incentives and taxes to phase out polluting vehicles and to boost energy-saving insulation in houses, the environment minister said. ...more
 
Size matters when it comes to extinction risk 19/9/2017
The biggest and the smallest of the world's animals are most at risk of dying out, according to a new analysis. ...more
 
Garbage from Hurricane Irma will now help power Florida 19/9/2017
Hurricane Irma left a mess of destruction in its wake. But in Florida, some of that trash will be put to good use – as electricity. Garbage will be burned in waste-to-energy plants that can produce enough power for around 30,000 homes. ...more
 
Chinese capital plans full ban on older diesel trucks 19/9/2017
China’s capital Beijing plans to ban all diesel trucks from the city with an emission standard of “national 3” from September 21, 2019, state media reported on Monday that cites a government document. ...more
 
DEWA awards AED14.2 billion largest CSP project in the world 18/9/2017
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has achieved another world record by awarding the 700MW AED14.2 billion (US$4 billion) fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. ...more
 
Tillerson says U.S. could stay in Paris climate accord 18/9/2017
The United States could remain in the Paris climate accord under the right conditions, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Sunday, signaling a shift in tone from the Trump administration, which angered allies with its decision to pull out of the agreement. ...more
 
Chinese capital bans winter construction to improve air quality 18/9/2017
Beijing will suspend construction of major public projects in the city this winter in an effort to improve the capital’s notorious air quality, official media said on Sunday, citing the municipal commission of housing and urban-rural development. ...more
 
Norway's Scatec Solar in talks to boost Iran's solar power 18/9/2017
Norway’s Scatec Solar is in talks to build its first solar power plants in Iran, its chief executive told Reuters, joining a wave of foreign energy firms looking to invest in the oil major. ...more
 
How palm trees stand tall in the face of a hurricane 18/9/2017
When Storm Aileen ripped across the UK last week the worst of the winds brought down trees, snapped off branches and shredded leaves, made worse because the trees were in full leaf and caught the wind like a sail. ...more
 
 
Poll of the month
Would you buy an electric car if it was exempt from customs taxes?

Ask An Expert
Boghos Ghougassian
fiogf49gjkf0d
Composting
Videos
 
Recent Publications
Arab Environment 9: sustainable Development in a Changing Arab Climate
‎مجلة البيئة والتنمية Environment & Development‎
 
 
 
ان جميع مقالات ونصوص "البيئة والتنمية" تخضع لرخصة الحقوق الفكرية الخاصة بـ "المنشورات التقنية". يتوجب نسب المقال الى "البيئة والتنمية" . يحظر استخدام النصوص لأية غايات تجارية . يُحظر القيام بأي تعديل أو تحوير أو تغيير في النص الأصلي. لمزيد من المعلومات عن حقوق النشر يرجى الاتصال بادارة المجلة
© All rights reserved, Al-Bia Wal-Tanmia and Technical Publications. Proper reference should appear with any contents used or quoted. No parts of the contents may be reproduced in any form by any rolex replica electronic or mechanical means without permission. Use for commercial purposes should be licensed.