Key Drivers for a Greener Built Environment in the Middle East

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

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

Environmental Sustainability in Qatar: Perspectives

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

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

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

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

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

Climate Change Impacts in the GCC

The GCC countries face multitude of climate change challenges including desertification, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and sea level rise. The region is characterized by high temperature, high humidity and arid lands resulting in seriously degraded soil and land damage in addition to salt intrusion in the aquifers affecting the small scale agricultural lands thus enhancing the food security threat in the region. All of the above geographical threats have therefore increased and activated the participation of GCC states in global negotiations recently as evidence are uncovered and impacts being felt across the region. If a couple of days of rain … Continue reading

البصمة البيئية لقطر

لا يزال الأثر البيئي لقطر مصدرا للقلق. وفقا ل“تقرير الكوكب الحي” 2014 الذي أعده الصندوق العالمي للحياة البرية (WWF)، فإن معدل البصمة البيئية للفرد في قطر هو الآن ثاني أعلى المعدلات في العالم، شأنها شأن دول خلجية أخرى، و تفوقت الكويت، لتصبح أسوأ “الجناة” من بين  ال 152 دولة التي تم قياس بصمتها البيئية. وتأتي دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة في المركز الثالث في القائمة، أما المملكة العربية السعودية، أكبر منتج للنفط في العالم، فتحتل المركز ال33. و بمقارنة البصمة الإجمالية مع القدرة البيولوجية للكوكب – قدرته على توليد إمدادات مستمرة من الموارد المتجددة واستيعاب النفايات – فقد خلص التقرير، استنادا … Continue reading

The Need for Sustainability Communication in the Middle East

Environmental and sustainability awareness has been around in the society for quite some time now; and buzzwords like ‘ecofriendly’, ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’ seem to be omnipresent. In spite of the proliferation of these eco-buzzwords, the state of sustainability communications remains poor and lacking in authenticity. This poor state of sustainable communication, aided by insufficient focus on authenticity, further allows unscrupulous organizations to ‘green wash’ their business or products. The ‘greenwashing’, coupled with a lack of environmental knowledge on the consumer side engenders confused consumers who either despise any of the green eco-buzzwords or blindly accept green-washing as true sustainability. Currently, sustainability … Continue reading

إستراتيجيات الحفاظ على المياه في الشرق الأوسط

للتعامل مع تحديات إدارة المياه العذبة في الشرق الأوسط , لابد من إحداث توازن بين مخزون المياه الموجود و حجم الطلب . وهذا التوازن ممكن أن يحقق من خلال توظيف إستراتيجيات تزيد من كفاءة المياه و الحفاظ عليها . استراتيجيات حفظ المياه في الشرق الأوسط تتضمن التقليل قدر الإمكان من إستخدام المخزون المائي القابل للنقل , إيجاد مصادر مياه بديلة للإستعمالات المتعددة و زيادة كفاءة استخدام المياه من معدات و تجهيزات مناسبة . الإستراتيجيات الفعالة بالإضافة إلى مراقبة المياه التي تتعقب عملية استخدامها  و تحديد المشاكل , ممكن أن تخفض الإستهلاك الداخلي و الخارجي للمياه بشكل ملحوظ في الدول التي تعاني … Continue reading

The Paper Bag Boy of Abu Dhabi

Abdul Muqeet, also known as the Paper Bag Boy, has risen from being just another ordinary student to an extra-ordinary environmentalist, eco-hero and eco-warrior. At just ten years old, Abdul Muqeet has demonstrated his commitment to saving the environment in United Arab Emirates and elsewhere. Inspired by the 2010 campaign “UAE Free of Plastic Bags”, Abdul Muqeet, a student of Standard V at Abu Dhabi Indian School, applied his own initiative and imagination to create 100% recycled carry bags using paper waste. He then set out to distribute these bags in Abu Dhabi, replacing single-use plastic bags that take hundreds … Continue reading