Category Archives: Middle East

أهمية المحافظة على المياه المنزلية

By | | ,
5 Comments

تعاني منطقة الشرق الاوسط من ندرة المياه وسوء الإدارة للموارد المائية. وعلى الرغم من الإستثمارات الضخمة في قطاع المياه، لا تزال قضية إدارة المياه شكل خطوره من الناحية الإقتصادية والبيئية في جميع أنحاء هذه المنطقة. الإستهلاك المفرط للمياه هي قضية خطيرة ويعتبر معدل استخدام نصيب الفرد من المياه في معظم بلدان الشرق الأوسط أعلى كثيرا من المعدل العالمي. فعلى سبيل المثال، متوسط استهلاك المقيمين في كل من الإمارات العربية المتحدة والسعودية حوالي 250 لترا و550 لترا من المياه يوميا على التوالي. بينما معدل استخدام الفرد للمياه في المملكة المتحدة وألمانيا حوالي 127 لترا و150 لترا من المياه يوميا على التوالي. … Continue reading →

ROOTA and the 4 E’s – Helping a Marginalized Community in Cairo

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

Rising Out Of The Ashes (ROOTA) is a Canadian Registered Charity with the objective of alleviating poverty and improving education.  For the onset, ROOTA started by helping the marginalized community of the Zabaleen (which stands for Trash Collectors in slang Egyptian) of Manshayet Nasser.  Work with our boots on the ground The Association for the Protection of the Environment, we service a population of around 45,000. What is ROOTA’s goal?    Education, and Income Generating Projects We achieve this through the 4 E’s – Environment, Education, Empowerment and Employment – which are interacted and work in unison.  The Zabaleen are … Continue reading →

العاصفه اليكسا – الجوانب الايجابيه لمنطقه الشرق الاوسط

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

شهد العام 2013 تحول في التاريخ عندما اجتاحت العاصفة اليكسا منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا حيث جلبت العواصف الثلجية والأمطار الغزيرة والرياح الجليدية لهذه المنطقة التي لم تشهد مثل هذه العاصفة منذ أكثر من 100 عام.  حيث تسببت العاصفة اليكسا بالفيضانات المدمرة في المدن العربية، مثل غزة، وانقطاع التيار الكهربائي في بعض مناطق الأردن.و تساقطت الثلوج بغزارة في الأردن و التي  غطت الشوارع، مما أعاق الحركة واجبرت الناس على المكوث في منازلهم لعدة أيام.  لقد جلبت هذه العاصفة أيضا المشقة والبؤس لللاجئين السوريين حيث  عانوا البرد القارس في خيام هشة وملاجئ مؤقتة. الجوانب الايجابيه لا نريد التقليل من شأن  الصعوبات و … Continue reading →

Everything You Should Know About Desertification

By | | , , ,
7 Comments

As the global population crosses 7 billion, the pressure on land has increased exponentially in recent decades. Food security, habitat and livelihood are the buzz words these days. The paradox is that despite ever-increasing demand for land, more than 10 million hectares of arable land turns into desert every year. The major factors responsible for desertification are deforestation, over-grazing, unsustainable cultivation methods and poor irrigation practices, apart from climate change. According to Mr. Luc Gnacadja, executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, “Land degradation is a global phenomenon, with 78 percent of the degrading land taking place in … Continue reading →

Key Drivers for a Greener Built Environment in the Middle East

By | | , ,
4 Comments

The drivers for a greener built environment in the Middle East are essentially economic in nature. Green and energy-efficient buildings are getting traction in the region due to increasing energy prices and the need for energy efficient and affordable energy solutions and practices within the construction sector. Large real estate developers find in this a new marketing and PR tool that contributes to their bottom line and to demonstrating their commitment to sustainable development goals and environmental responsibility. From the supply side, suppliers and service providers find new business opportunities in this market transformation and this has become a driver … Continue reading →

Everything You Should Know About Hydroponic Farming

By | | , ,
1 Comment

Locally grown vegetables and salad greens are becoming increasingly common in the market places of Bahrain, thanks to modern agricultural practices such as hydroponic farming. Bahrain is now taking definite steps towards being self-sustaining with certain food items that frequent our dinner table. By adopting the alternative agricultural practices, Bahrain is actively tackling the issue of food security. Commercial hydroponic farming facilities are well established in Bahrain with a highly promising and very green future. Hydroponic farms are successfully operating in Bahrain even in the summer months when the daytime temperatures are 40-50oC and nighttime temperatures are 30-35oC outside of the greenhouses. One … Continue reading →

Why Green Investments Are Crucial For Future-Ready MENA Region

By | | ,
Leave a comment

Sustainability is no longer optional – especially in the landscape of business and economic growth. Today, this term has become synonymous with resilient and long-lasting economies, ready to face the future challenges and take preventive steps to safeguard the environment. In the MENA region especially, shifting the focus towards green investments may become essential for the long-term growth of local economies. By focusing on eco-friendly practices, countries can mitigate climate risks while securing economic growth. Additionally, green technologies promote energy independence and resource efficiency, attracting vital foreign investments. Below, we’ll look at how, with sustainability at the forefront, the MENA … Continue reading →

Environmental Sustainability in Qatar: Perspectives

By | | , ,
2 Comments

In recent years, the concept of environmental sustainability is slowly, but steadily, getting prominence, both in the public and private sectors in Qatar. Mounting environmental pressure has led to the development of new initiatives in several state-owned and private companies. As a major fossil exporter and one of the wealthiest countries, Qatar should do its fair share in reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions and developing strong climate adaptation plans. Many companies are investing heavily in replacing old turbines, boilers, and furnaces, minimizing GHG and non-GHG emissions, and wastewater discharge. The new companies that were set up in last decade are adopting … Continue reading →

منهاج النظام التربوي البيئي في المملكة العربية السعودية

By | | ,
Leave a comment

تمت مناقشة المادة السادسة ضمن الإتفاقية الإطارية للأمم المتحدة بشأن تغير المناخ, و التي تُعنى بالتعليم البيئي و بالأمور المناخية ,في مؤتمر بون المناخي2013 و التحضيري لمؤتمر الأعضاء في نسخته التاسعة عشر ببولندا. تنص هذه المادة على نشر ثقافة التصدي لآثار التغييرات المناخية بين الشعوب عبر إدراج مواد مخصصة في المناهج التعليمية و إشراك الطلاب في إيجاد خطط و حلول للتعامل مع هذه العوامل المناخية. بالإضافة إلى ذلك يتم عقد ورشات عمل و ندوات لتنمية المعاهد و المدارس المعنية بهذا المفهوم من حيث تبادل الخبرات, و في تسهيل مهمة إيصال المعلومات و نشرها بين شرائح المجتمع. يقتصر دور التوعية البيئية … Continue reading →

ادارة النفايات الصلبه في سلطنه عٌمان

By | |
1 Comment

تعتبر اداره النفايات لسلطنه عٌمان قضيه تحدي  بسبب اثارها السلبيه على البيئه والصحه العامه. مع تعداد سكاني يقارب 3 ملايين نسمه فان البلاد انتجت ما مقداره 1.6 مليون طن من النفايات الصلبه في عام 2010.  و يتعدى نصيب الفرد من انتاج النفايات  عن 1.5 كغم يوميا من بين اعلى المعدلات في جميع انحاء العالم. تتميز النفايات الصلبه في عُمان بان نسبه عاليه منها قابله لاعاده التدوير , يعد الورق بالمقام الاول  ويشكل ما نسبته 26% , بلاستيك 12%, معادن 11% و زجاج 5%. و مع ذلك فان عُمان لم تدرك بعد  الامكانيه العاليه لاعاده تدوير نفاياتها. معظم النفايات  الصلبه ترسل  الى … Continue reading →

Biogas Feedstock in the Middle East

By | | , ,
1 Comment

Anaerobic digestion (or biogas technology) is the natural biological process which stabilizes organic waste in the absence of air and transforms it into biofertilizer and biogas. It is a reliable technology for the treatment of wet, organic waste.  Organic waste from various sources is biochemically degraded in highly controlled, oxygen-free conditions circumstances resulting in the production of biogas which can be used to produce both electricity and heat. Almost any organic material can be processed with anaerobic digestion. A wide range of organic wastes are available in the Middle East for anaerobic digestion. In addition to MSW, large quantity of waste, in … Continue reading →

Solid Waste Management in Tunisia

By | | , ,
2 Comments

Solid waste management has emerged as a big challenge for the Mediterranean country of Tunisia. The country, having an estimated population of around 11 million people, produces more than 2.5 million tons of waste each year. Tunisia is experiencing an average increase in waste volume by 3% with per capita waste generation in urban areas being 0.8 kg per day. Biodegradable organic fraction constitutes around 68% of the MSW stream. MSW collection is covered at 80% in urban areas and 10% in rural areas. The country has 10 controlled landfills with a capacity of 1,788,000 tons per year and four … Continue reading →