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

314 - May 2024
Editorial
Forum
Najib Saab
Fraud Threatens EU’s Green Ambitions
Najib Saab
The embezzlement of hundreds of millions of European agricultural funds in Greece is not an isolated incident
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
more...

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
 
Rare Arabian lynx sighting in Fujairah hailed as boost for UAE wildlife conservation 9/10/2025
Motion-sensing cameras at Fujairah’s Wadi Al Wurayah Reserve have captured rare footage of the Arabian lynx — a critically endangered species that had not been seen in the area for years, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported. ...more
 
EU plastics sector says closures will accelerate without swift action 9/10/2025
Europe's plastics industry faces plant closures at an accelerated rate and falling further behind global rivals in recycling without urgent action, sector lobby group Plastics Europe said on Wednesday. ...more
 
Trump mulls cutting billions in funds from list of clean energy projects 9/10/2025
The U.S. government is considering cancelling billions of dollars in funding for clean energy programs, including awards for auto manufacturing and carbon capture, according to a list of targeted projects seen by Reuters. ...more
 
UK plastic waste exports to developing countries rose 84% in a year, data shows 9/10/2025
Campaigners say increase in exports mostly to Malaysia and Indonesia is ‘unethical and irresponsible waste imperialism’. ...more
 
Inhalers produce as much carbon emissions as over 500,000 cars each year, study finds 9/10/2025
Inhalers that provide fast-acting treatment for people with certain respiratory conditions are contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, which can worsen both climate change and the conditions themselves, according to new research. ...more
 
Abu Dhabi launches AI-driven waste collection company in sustainability drive 8/10/2025
Abu Dhabi has launched a new waste collection company, Tajmee’e, in a bid to overhaul the emirate’s approach to refuse management and accelerate progress towards its sustainability goals. ...more
 
EU to push development banks' climate focus despite US opposition, draft shows 8/10/2025
The European Union will double down on its support for reforming global development banks to do more to fight climate change, a draft EU document showed, a stance that puts Brussels at odds with the U.S. ahead of World Bank and IMF meetings this month. ...more
 
Renewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity 8/10/2025
Renewable energy overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity in the first half of this year - a historic first, according to new data from the global energy think tank Ember. ...more
 
IEA trims renewables outlook as US policy shifts and China auction reforms weigh 8/10/2025
The International Energy Agency on Tuesday cut its global forecast for renewable power growth by 2030 by 248 gigawatts from last year's outlook, citing weaker prospects in the United States and China, even as solar power continues to drive record additions. ...more
 
Buildings are turning to ‘ice batteries’ for sustainable air conditioning 8/10/2025
Every night some 74,000 gallons (280,000 liters) of water are frozen at Norton Audubon Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. The hospital used to get all of its air conditioning from a conventional system found in most U.S. buildings, but now 27 tanks of ice sustain a network of cold-water pipes keeping operating rooms at safe temperatures and patients comfortable. ...more
 
Carbon offsets fail to cut global heating due to ‘intractable’ systemic problems, study says 7/10/2025
Analysis of 25 years of evidence shows most schemes are poor quality and fail to lower emissions. ...more
 
Reuters Exclusive: India considers introducing nationwide climate-linked insurance scheme 7/10/2025
India's government has begun early-stage talks with local insurers about designing a nationwide climate-linked insurance programme aimed at simplifying the payout process after extreme weather events such as heatwaves and floods. ...more
 
How the US got left behind in the global electric car race 7/10/2025
You could be forgiven for thinking that electric cars might finally be gaining momentum in the US. ...more
 
Advocates raise alarm over Pfas pollution from datacenters amid AI boom 7/10/2025
Tech companies’ use of Pfas gas at facilities may mean datacenters’ climate impact is worse than previously thought. ...more
 
As forests are cut down, butterflies are losing their colours 7/10/2025
The world is becoming less colourful. For butterflies, bold and bright wings once meant survival, helping them attract mates and hide from prey. But a new research project suggests that as humans replace rich tropical forests with monochrome, the colour of other creatures is leaching away. ...more
 
AFED at World Green Economy Summit in Dubai 7/10/2025
The 11th World Green Economy Summit (WGES) convened in Dubai on 1-2 October 2025, under the theme ‘Innovating for Impact: Accelerating the Future of the Green Economy’. ...more
 
Trump administration scraps $8 billion for climate-related projects 6/10/2025
President Donald Trump's administration is cancelling nearly $8 billion in climate-related funding targeting 16 U.S. states, including California and New York, White House budget director Russ Vought said on Wednesday. ...more
 
Hotel prices lead countries to consider skipping COP30 climate summit 6/10/2025
Dozens of countries have yet to secure accommodation at next month's COP30 climate summit in Brazil and some delegates are considering staying away as a shortage of hotels has driven prices to hundreds of dollars per night. ...more
 
‘Planetary health diet’ could save 40,000 deaths a day, landmark report finds 6/10/2025
Diet allows modest meat consumption and would also slash food-related climate emissions by half, says report by 70 leading experts from 35 countries. ...more
 
Nestle, others warn EU law delays are endangering forests worldwide 6/10/2025
Major agri-food companies including Nestle (NESN.S), Ferrero and Olam Agri have warned that European Union delays to its anti-deforestation law are endangering forests worldwide. ...more
 
Minecraft game launched to teach climate change 6/10/2025
A customised version of Minecraft is being used to inspire children to learn more about climate change. ...more
 
Investors urge EU to uphold methane rules despite US pressure 3/10/2025
Investors representing more than 4.5 trillion euros ($5.3 trillion) of assets have urged the EU not to water-down its methane emissions law amid concerns the rules may be weakened to ease U.S. LNG imports, according to a letter seen by Reuters. ...more
 
Pope Leo condemns climate change critics 3/10/2025
Pope Leo XIV has hit out at those who minimise the "increasingly evident" impact of rising temperatures in his first major statement on climate change. ...more
 
Forecaster opens access to real-time data in boost for extreme weather warnings 3/10/2025
Europe's top weather forecaster said on Wednesday it had opened access to real-time data in a move that will support early warning systems for extreme weather events across the globe. ...more
 
Solar-powered farming is digging Pakistan into a water catastrophe 3/10/2025
Karamat Ali's cows and buffalos once provided his multi-generational family with milk. But earlier this year, the 61-year-old sold about a dozen bovine - and spent the proceeds on a set of solar panels. ...more
 
Is My Skin Care Routine Planet-Friendly? 3/10/2025
It can be hard to feel good about your skin care routine when so many products come in plastic and you’re constantly pushed to try new and more things. ...more
 
 
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Arab Environment 9: Sustainable Development in a Changing Arab Climate
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