By: Batir Wardam It has been more than 40 days since the USA and China drafted the toothless "Copenhagen Accord" in cooperation with Brazil, India and South Africa during the United Nations Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen. The accord that has sidelined the EU and most developing countries has failed in identifying specific targets for emission reductions. It has also asked all industrial... [read more]

This article was originally published by the Star newspaper, Monday 24-1-2010 By: Batir Wardam   The year 2010 has been declared by the United Nations as the year of Biodiversity. All countries that have signed the UN Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) back in 1992 will have to assess their progress in achieving the Biodiversity 2010 target that was agreed by the CBD in 2004 where... [read more]

This article was originally published by the Star newspaper on 18-1-2010 By: Batir Wardam It has became a common conclusion for both environmentalists and "green economists" alike that any breakthrough in commitment to environmental remediation will only be economically feasible when the evidence is conclusive that the cost of remediation is less than the cost of inaction, and that economic benefits... [read more]

This article was originally published at The Star newspaper, Monday 11-1-2010   By: Batir Wardam     Jordan's entrance to a knowledge economy depends not only on policies, legislation and regulations developed by the government or investments by the private sector. It is also based on qualified and well-trained human resources to deal with the challenges of the knowledge economy... [read more]

My weekly article published by the Star newspaper, Monday Jan 4th   The Arab World is not a drop of oil. This innovative and striking slogan was raised by the Lebanese environmental advocacy group "IndyAct" in its pursuit for more climate-responsible energy policies in the Arab world. This region, portrayed globally as a source of oil that leads to global warming is lagging behind in... [read more]

This article was originally publsihed by The Star newspaper, Monday Dec 29th, 2009   By: Batir Wardam   The year 2009 can be better described, from an environmental perspective as the year when Jordan finally opened its eyes to the threats of Climate change. After years of neglect, denial and lack of data Jordan has realized through a concerted effort backed by global momentum... [read more]

Source: Jordan Times   By Hana Namrouqa   The Ministry of Environment has launched a $4.3 million programme to develop the Kingdom's adaptation to climate change and sustain its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) achievements. The programme, financed by the UNDP-Spain MDG Achievement Fund, seeks to identify loopholes in the country's climate change adaptation process and assess... [read more]

Source: Jordan Times   By Hana Namrouqa   The Kingdom will soon carry out economic and environmental studies for environment- friendly projects to cut down greenhouse gases, estimated at 20 million tonnes annually, according to a senior government official. The studies will be implemented under an $81,000 agreement signed between Jordan and the United Nations Framework Convention... [read more]

Source: Jordan Times 23-12-2009   By Omar Obeidat   Authorities said yesterday there are currently no plans to levy more fees on hybrid cars as demand on such vehicles has surged recently, a trend attributed to concerns that extra charges are imminent. According to figures by the Jordan Customs Department (JCD), a total of 4,796 cars have been cleared from the free zone... [read more]

Source: Jordan Times   By Hani Hazaimeh   Despite the Kingdom's abundant sunlight and limited conventional energy resources, solar thermal power accounts for only 2 per cent of Jordan's energy use, while more than 95 of energy is imported, according to a Department of Statistics (DoS) report issued on Wednesday. Only 12 per cent of Jordanian families use solar power for heating... [read more]

Here is the full text of the speech by King Mohammad IV of Morocco delivered on his behalf by Prime Minister Abbas El-Fasi at the Copenhagen COP 15   Your Majesties,Your Excellencies,Mr. Secretary-General,Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like, first of all, to thank Her Majesty the Queen, the Government and the people of Denmark for their good organization of the Copenhagen Summit Conference... [read more]

Source: Petra News Agency   His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility to protect the future of humanity by combating climate change. In a speech at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen delivered by HRH Prince Hamzah, the King stressed Jordan’s support for international efforts to arrive at a just, fair and effective... [read more]

Source: Terra Viva   Terna Gyuse   COPENHAGEN (IPS/TerraViva) – In outlining a position on climate change, the League of Arab States must somehow account for looming problems like water stress – a problem found from Morocco in the west to the Gulf states in the east – and the importance of oil to the economies of many of the league’s members. Dr Emad Adly, in Copenhagen representing... [read more]

An insight from Science Devnet portal on the lack of reliable climate change data in the Arab world. Can't agree more.   Abdulhakim Mahmoud   [SANA'A] The Arab world must move quickly to carry out its own research to avert the worst effects of climate change on the region, a report has warned. The report, released last month (24 November) by the Lebanon-based Arab Forum for... [read more]

Global environmental law expert Bob Percival writes an interesting account of his recent visit to Jordan.   http://globalenvironmentallaw.blogspot.com/2009/12/jordan-trip-copenhagen-conference-by.html   I returned to the United States on Saturday after spending a productive and enjoyable week in Jordan. The purpose of my trip was to assist in developing an environmental law... [read more]

Another glimpse of light for Arab environmental activism.   Source: the Media Line   Copenhagen, Denmark Liana B. Baker / TML – Three days before the U.N. climate talks kicked off in Copenhagen, Tarak Tayara was told he was accepted as an official observer at the negotiations. The 28-year-old hopped on the next flight out of Lebanon and landed the next day in Denmark, ready... [read more]

The cradle of Egypt's historic civilisation is slowly losing its economic value for some livelihoods, especially fishing. This is a report from IRIN   “It’s becoming so hard these days. I only managed to get a few fish yesterday,” said Galal Saed, 35, casting his net into the Nile near the town of Hawamdia, 25km south of Cairo. Saed said he usually catches 2kg of fish a day which allows... [read more]

While the public opinion and activists all over the world are showing public expressions for the need to reach the deal in Copenhagen our Arab street are quite like a desert, only mobilised by football rivarly and religious/political discourse. This small vigil in Lebanon organised by Greenpeace is a welcome candle in the darkness of our collective environmental awareness.   Source: Daily... [read more]

Source: Wall Street Journal   By SPENCER SWARTZ   With some of the world's fastest-growing oil consumers under pressure to cut carbon emissions, big petroleum-producing states are beginning to fret over a long-term drop in crude-oil revenue. For years, oil-producing states have worried about rich nations like the U.S. cutting back on energy consumption through conservation or... [read more]

Source: Going Green   Patrick Galey   As a small country, Lebanon punches above its weight in many spheres. Its financial sector is apparently invulnerable to global shocks; it has the largest stockpile of gold in the Middle East. Lebanon’s graduates are some to the best qualified on the planet; tri-lingual ex-pat businessmen and entrepreneurs frequently occupy top positions... [read more]

Source: AFP   By Andrew Newby   Dubai's debt crisis may make a small dent in its greenhouse gas emissions but the Gulf emirate faces an enormous task to cut carbon to the levels to be proposed at the UN climate summit starting this week. Dubai and the rest of the United Arab Emirates have the world's highest per capita carbon footprint according to the authoritative WWF Living... [read more]

Source: The Media Line   Written by Benjamin Joffe-WaltPublished Sunday, December 06, 2009   As the petroleum powers send their negotiating teams to the Copenhagen climate change summit, Middle Eastern analysts debate what role the Arab world is likely to play. The oily lands of the Middle East have an image problem. As the nations of the world prepare for the most significant... [read more]

It is unfortunate that Saudi Arabia is still playing a disruptive role in the climate negotiations supported by some so-called "resaerchers" who write in Saudi newspapers with skeptic positions regarding the climate change scientific foundations. This is a feature that was published in the UAE's National newspaper which is also completely biased to the Saudi argument   Wael Mahdi, Foreign... [read more]

This article, published by the Wall Street Journal documents the positions of the key countries having a strong impact on the outcome of the Copenhagen conference. Strangely though, they have missed Saudi Arabia which has a strong and influential-albeit negative- impact on the negotiations!   This week, officials from 192 countries will meet in Copenhagen to tackle global climate change,... [read more]

For the first time in the history of press, to the best of my knowledge a common global editorial was published by 56 newspapers in 45 countries. The editorial was written by the Guardian today on the occasion of opening the Climate Change conference in Copenhagen. I am not sure yet if it was published in newspaper from the Arab world. This is the full text   Copenhagen climate change... [read more]

Here are the full recommendations of the AFED 2nd annual conference taht was held in Beirut last month   The Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) held its second annual conference in Beirut on 19-20 November 2009, under the patronage of His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic General Michel Sleiman. The conference brought together 500 delegates from 22 countries,... [read more]

Source: The Jordan Times   By Hana Namrouqa   The Ministry of Environment has sent a memorandum to the Cabinet, proposing that the Yarmouk River Basin be designated as the Kingdom’s eighth nature reserve. The Yarmouk River Basin was selected to become a nature reserve due to its unique ecosystem and because it houses threatened species, Minister of Environment Khalid Irani said... [read more]

The Copenhagen Diagnosis project has released a major report that compiles all significant scientific data that has been documented between 2007-2009 after the release of the IPCC's fourth assessment report on Climate Change. The report can be downloaded from here http://www.copenhagendiagnosis.com/default.html  The purpose of this report is to synthesize the most policy-relevant climate... [read more]

The most comprehensive report documenting and discussing the projected impacts of climate change on the Arab world has been released by the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) in Beirut last week, within the proceedings of the second annual conference for AFED. This report, edited by Mostapha Tolba and Najib Saab is the second of a series of annual reports produced by the Arab... [read more]

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has issued a landmark report documenting the cost-effectiveness of investing in natural resource management and ecosystem restoration as a tool for adaptation to climate change. Evidence derived from many examples around the world prove the need to integrate this option in adaptation planning. Unfortunately the report lacks examples from the Arab world... [read more]