The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced the success of its campaign to plant 1.0 billion trees in 2007 as an effort in fighting climate change and combating desertification. In a joint press conference with Prof. Wangari Maathai, the inspiration behind the initiative and Nobel Laureate, UNEP's Executive Directorn Achim Steiner said: "I am delighted to say that an initiative to... [read more]

South-South environmental cooperation is still way below the real potential that it has in delivering experiences between developing countries and sharing resources and expertise. Any bilateral or inter-regional programmes will always be of great benefits provided a balanced set up is reached in the design of cooperation programmes. This is a very good example of cooperation between Morocco and Brazil... [read more]

To the best of my knoweldge, no comprehensive system has been developed in any Arab country to manage and recycle electronic wastes that are growing at a high exponential rate. Plans are to be found on paper but no economically feasible and environmentally safe measures have been yet implemented.   This is why it was promising to raed about Hewlett-Packard's new plan to fund a pioneering new... [read more]

The Second session of the ministerial council in charge of water and irrigation of the Union of the Arab Maghreb (UMA) was held the 22 and January 23, 2007 in Nouakchott (Mauritania) with in the chair Mr. Omar Salem, Water Director in Libya. The meeting considered the evaluation of the implementation of recommendations resulting from the first session of the council held in April 2003 in Algiers (Algeria),... [read more]

Source: Al Maghrebeieh Network     A national energy plan aimed at improving Moroccans' quality of life through access to quality energy at lower costs is being prepared by the Moroccan Energy Ministry, Energy Minister Mohamed Boutaleb said at the Ministerial Council session last week. The main highlights of the plan include encouraging the rationalisation of energy consumption and promoting... [read more]

Source: Middle East Online   RABAT - Morocco's parliament has ratified an agreement with the European Union that radically reduces the number of European boats allowed to fish in Moroccan waters, a parliamentary source said. The fishing accord was signed in Brussels between Morocco and the EU on July 28, 2005, but needed to go through parliament, the source said. The deal cuts the number... [read more]

The UNDP have launched a new and brilliant website based on the UNDP's water knowledge fair featuring some very interesting multimedia products on sustainable water management. http://www.waterfair.org/index.spring  The Knowledge base can be browsed by country where Jordan, Egypt and Morocco are currently listed with short films and other knowledge products available online. The water fair can... [read more]

Source: Mail and Guardian online   Abderrahim El Ouali | Casablanca, Morocco   Visitors to Morocco have often been tempted by pictures with the proverbial palm tree somewhere in the frame. But fewer and fewer of these trees are now around, and at this rate of decline the visitors of the future might not find any at all. The picture is changing; it is now of the Sahara desert advancing... [read more]

The recently held UNFCCC African Regional Workshop on Adaptation which was conducted in Ghana last September was a very important opportunity to discuss in detailes adaptation and vulnerability in Africa and be used as models for other regions including the Arab countries which have some ecological similarities with Africa especially in water and agricultural sectors. This is even more essential taking... [read more]

The European Commission has extended Morocco € 59.7 Millions (USD 70 Millions, 600 Millions dirhams) to reform water sector, said last 29th August the European Commission delegation in Rabat. This amount is the second installment of a USD 115Mn support budget allocated by the EU to water sector in Morocco. Created in 2002, this program is meant to improve water management in Morocco, notably through... [read more]

Source: Middle East Online   RABAT - Almost the whole of Morocco is threatened by increasing desertification, a senior official said , saying that efforts to combat it are proving inadequate. Abdeladim El Hafi, high commissioner for water and forests, was speaking to AFP.   "Between 90 and 93 percent of Morocco is affected by aridity and other forms of drought," he said, blaming... [read more]