Burlington/Nairobi, 22 March 2007.  While there has been some improvement in the quality of water in some parts of the world, there are still serious problems that must be addressed for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), according to a new report from the GEMS/Water Programme of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Water Quality Outlook, launched as part of today’s observance... [read more]

Another interesting report published by IPS on the occasion of world water day. This one goes deep to discuss water pollution and emerging scarcity in Egypt.   Adam Morrow and Khaled Moussa al-Omrani CAIRO, Mar 22 (IPS) - Over the course of the 1990s, grave warnings were occasionally aired about the role of water in Middle Eastern power politics. In 1991, former Egyptian foreign minister Boutros... [read more]

Four years after the USA led invasion of Iraq and the subsecquent chaose engulfing the country, the environment has been one of the many victims of the collapse of the Iraqi state and the long transitional phase. This is a report published in IPS regarding the environmental disaster in Iraq.   Stephen Leahy TORONTO, Mar 21 (Tierramérica) - Four years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and despite... [read more]

In a welcome move in the Arab Gulf Countries, Bahrain has initiated the demonstration installation of winde power turbines at the Bahrain World Trade center. We hope to see more green energy sources from the Gulf. Here is a story from UPI   MANAMA --  Large-scale wind turbines were installed for the first time in a commercial development Tuesday at the Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC). Testing... [read more]

Prince Turki Bin Nasser Bin-Abdulaziz, chairman of the Saudi Environment Monitoring and Protection Authority, has been interviewd by Al Sharq Al Awsat newspaper and revealed some very interesting new environmental trends in the Kingdom. The interview is well worth documenting and here is the full text   Asharq Al-Awsat) In April 2003 you undertook a tour of Eastern Saudi Arabia to assess the... [read more]

Source: Gulf Daily News   By: Rebecca Torr   BAHRAIN's farms are under threat from owners who are selling them to building developers for high prices, say local environmentalists. They claim in many cases owners who sell their farms are violating laws that protect palm trees and land that falls within the green belt. Environment Friends Society (EFS) founder and president Khawla Al... [read more]

A new video film on Waqf for Water has been produced by IUCN WESCANA in cooperation with InWent. This 8-minute video film promotes new prospects for innovative funding of water projects that can be of benefit to the water critical crisis in the region. According to the video, the Middle East and North Africa region is the most arid in the world and water resources are consequently very sparse. Of the... [read more]

The World Bank has published a new voluminous report on water scarcity conditions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).   The WB press release states that " The report discusses how water management solutions need to be considered as part of the wider economic policies of the countries of the region. "Meeting the water needs of the growing population of the Middle East and North Africa... [read more]

The excellence of producing the first State of the Environment report was claimed by Abu Dhabi last week. Although I have learned that both Lebanon and Egypt have produced former national reports, while Jordan produced a "civil society" perspective report, Abu Dhabi has made it clear that it is the leader by producing a highly informative report that can be traced and viewed from www.soa.ae  ... [read more]

Source: IPS news   Meena Janardhan   DUBAI, Mar 21 (IPS) - The holy month of Ramadan is a time when Muslims retreat into fasting and prayer. Last September though, devotees near the Saudi port city of Jeddah had violence on their minds as they broke a day-long fast. Fists flew when told that water brought them in tankers had run out. Such scenarios reflect the growing problem of water shortage... [read more]

Source: 7 days magazine   It might just be another Thursday for many people, but for the more environmentally inclined among us, today is to be celebrated as ‘World Water Day’. Water, the stuff of life, the stuff that we need for almost every aspect of survival is under threat and environmental experts have warned that fresh water is set to become even more precious as global warming begins to... [read more]

A spokesman at the Qatar-based Al Jazeera broadcasting channel said that Al Jazeera Children's Channel has inaugurated its Voyage to the Future competition for Arab children for two weeks, the Peninsula reported. The competition aims to educate and raise the awareness of students about environmental issues. Therefore the winners of the competition will travel to a given country for 10 days in order... [read more]

Electronic wastes have recently emerged as one of the most pressing environmental problems in many parts of the world including Arab country. This is an environmental challenge that need to be tackled at the national level but with effective global technical guidance. This is a news item from Science Devnet that provides a hope for the potential "globalization" of e-waste management in response to... [read more]

I am happy to report some good environmental news from the UAE here. Looking for more positive signs.   His Royal Highness Prince Charles paid a glowing tribute to Abu Dhabi Organics, Abu Dhabi's only organic farm. Prince Charles, a keen advocate of organic farming, was speaking at the company's stand at Al Khubairat School in Abu Dhabi.   Abu Dhabi Organics will go into full production... [read more]

The Associated Press   DUBAI, United Arab Emirates— When it comes to squandering the earth's natural resources, residents of this desert land of chilled swimming pools, monster 4x4s and air-conditioned malls are on a par with even the ravenous consumption of Americans, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The average person in the Emirates puts more demand on the global ecosystem than any... [read more]

Source: Innovations report   The pre-Saharan region of Jeffara, located in the South-East of Tunisia, is particularly exposed to the risk of desertification, like most of the arid or semi-arid regions of the Mediterranean Rim. Anzeige It is also prey to deep socio-economic changes. This situation raises the major challenge of ensuring the balance between... [read more]

Source: Kuwait News Agency   The Arab League Economic and Social Council has already worked out an economic file to be presented to the forthcoming Arab summit in Riyadh. But, it will also convene anew in Riyadh on March 25th to conduct a final review of the economic dossier, which will involve several issues, including a comprehensive report on the establishment of an Arab customs union and... [read more]

Source: Asia Journal   Filipinos with access to the Internet are among the people most aware of global warming, according to a survey by a multinational consumer research group. The AC Nielsen "Online Consumer Opinion Survey," conducted last November, covered 25,408 Internet users from 47 countries and territories in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. The survey found... [read more]

From Yemen Times   Saeed Al-Batati    The Hadramout local council has decided to take legal action against Hungarian oil company MOL for polluting the area of Al-Dhaliha district, located 270 kilometers west of Mukalla. The local council decided to bring the issue to court after many reports and appeals from area residents alarmed the council of the grave consequences of polluting materials... [read more]

In view of the high importance of sustainable management of renewable resources in arid lands throughout the Arabian Gulf region, the Gulf Research Center, Dubai, UAE and the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands, Damascus, will organize an executive training program in Arabic. Titled 'Toward Sustainable Management of Renewable Resources in Arid Lands,' it will be held in Damascus... [read more]

During the last UNEP Governing Council Conference a aministerial meeting was conducted between ministers of Arab and South American countries to foster cooperation and further coordination between the two regions. This is a view expressed by a Brazilian writer about this meeting.   Alexandre Rocha* São Paulo - Arab and South American ministers, deputy ministers and diplomats connected to... [read more]

It is not often regular to see daily newspapers in the Arab World focusing on environmental issues in their editorials, let alone the welfare of animals. It was a welcome change to the better as the Jordan Times decided to run an editorial on "compassion to animals" in its Friday 23rd edition. As the Jordan Times has not managed to developed a online archive for its articles I will post the whole... [read more]

For the past 2-3 months the environmental community in Jordan was engaged in a complex debate with many stakeholders over the establishment of a mega tourism project in the natural forest of Dibbin, one of Jordan's very few natural forest systems that comprise less than 1% of the country's land area. The proposed project to be installed by the Jordan Dubai Capital Co. includes building of a massive... [read more]

It has been about 25 days since the last update at the Arab Environmental Monitor. This is the longest period of inactivity since the blog was established. There is no one particular reason behind this but a package of factors contributed including some exceptionally heavy work deadlines and a series of health conditions associated with winter problems. This period of "hibernation" has been useful... [read more]

This is a new publication from Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI):   Cooperative transboundary management of the Nile River Basin is an important public good in itself, as well as a source of regional public goods. Evidence suggests that investment in water resources management and development holds significant opportunities for economic development in the Nile Basin. While the economic... [read more]