Category Archives: Sustainable Development

Aquaculture Using Desalination Brine: Transforming a Waste Stream into Sustainable Food Production

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The rapid expansion of desalination capacity in arid and semi‑arid regions has generated an urgent need to find sustainable uses for the concentrated brine by‑product produced by seawater and brackish water desalination plants. Traditionally, brine has been treated as a waste stream, often discharged into the sea or terrestrial environments with little or no value recovery. Because most desalination technologies, especially reverse osmosis, produce brine with salinities significantly higher than natural seawater, improper disposal of this stream can lead to negative environmental impacts, including increased salinity in coastal zones, benthic ecosystem disruption, and changes in water column chemistry. However, over … Continue reading →

فيروس كورونا: فرصة لإعادة النظر

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لطالما اعتقدتُ أنّ ما من شيءٍ يحدثُ دون أن يحمل في طياته رسالة ما، إما أن تكون عامة لفئات كثيرة،  أو خاصة لأشخاصٍ معنيين بها، لعقودٍ طويلةٍ بقي الإنسانُ يؤدّي أعماله ومهامه بكفاءةٍ عالية، لكن هل فعلًا كان يبلي بلاءً حسنا في نهاية المطاف؟ بالرجوعِ للأثرِ البيئيّ لمختلفِ الممارسات التنمويّة في مختلفِ القطاعات نجدُ انتهاكًا كبيرًا للبيئة بوتيرة متسارعة، وعلى مر السنوات تكدّست كميات كبيرة من الملوّثات في بيئاتنا بكل مكوناتها، إضافة إلى استمرارنا غير المبرر في ظلّ هذا التطور الهائل الذي وصلنا إليه نكون قد وقّعنا وثيقة دمار كوكبنا بشكلٍ علنيّ وفي وقتٍ قريب جدًّا خاصة بعد التغيّر المناخيّ … Continue reading →

Post-Coronavirus World: Human Development Re-defined

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Like many of you around the globe, I have been adjusting with the exigencies of the spread of COVID-19, both personally and professionally. The crisis is rejuvenating human traits and values from various angles. Self-care, life balance, personal development, helping others, and considering the environment are just a few of many values and principles that are boiling down these days. Let’s take environmental values as an example with the several statements issued lately about the potential impact of Coronavirus on some of the hot green issues of today, Climate Change and Biodiversity. A few questions come to mind – though … Continue reading →

World Water Day 2026: Celebrate Water and its Richness for Humanity

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World Water Day is celebrated and recognised on the 22rd March each year. This year is no different. The United Nations chose to connect and celebrate World Water Day 2026 in the context of equality, namely gender equality with a focus on women. Let us manage water with equality. We appreciate that where there is water, plants grow, communities can grow, animals and humans can survive and prosper. But the question is whether there is equality where there is water. A great thought to ponder from many different perspectives. A simple yet critical question is multifaceted. Is there water? Is … Continue reading →

From Climate Commitments to National Pathways: Why NDCs Must Evolve

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When the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015 under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), it marked a major turning point in global climate governance. For the first time, climate action was anchored in a universal yet differentiated mechanism, grounded in national realities: Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The Agreement stipulates that each Party shall prepare, communicate, and maintain successive contributions that represent a progression beyond the previous one and reflect the highest possible level of ambition [1]. Contrary to a still widespread perception, NDCs were never designed as fixed commitments. They constitute an evolving … Continue reading →

#InspireMENA – Storytelling on Sustainable Development in MENA

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Over 350 million people live in MENA and share Arabic as a common language. To date, there is very little literature in Arabic about sustainable development in general and specifically on the United Nation’s new global goals and the associated agencies and initiatives. More than half of that population is below 25 and is currently going through a lot in terms of political, economic, and social change. Despite all of this, those young people are innovating and making positive change in their communities. It is of utmost importance to support such impact with credible information, more visibility for success stories, … Continue reading →

Water Management in the United Arab Emirates: Key Statistics

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The United Arab Emirates is among the top water-scarce countries in the world. However, the country has one of the world’s highest per capita water consumption of 550 liters per day. The country is experiencing a rapid increase in population which has in turn resulted in huge demand for water. In 2021, the total water consumption in UAE was 1754.5 million m3 (MCM) with the residential sector accounting for 981.4 MCM and the commercial sector 378.5 MCM. Water consumption in UAE is primarily divided among three sectors: Private households Agriculture Industries Household Sector This sector accounts for about 18% of … Continue reading →

Reed as a Sustainable Building Material: Historical Perspectives

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Historically, reeds have been used to build homes, boats, baskets, mats and other items in different parts of the world. Recent research in Europe and Egypt is confirming the value of reed as an environmentally-friendly building material. They can be used for insulation in new and retrofit applications, replacing flammable energy-intensive materials. History of Reed Houses The reed structures of the Arab al-Ahwār (Ma’dan) in the Middle East demonstrate what can be done. Their buildings are constructed using only reed bundles in arches to frame the building. Guest houses (mudhif) were typically 6 meters (18 feet) long and 3 meters … Continue reading →

Water Conservation in Islamic Teachings

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Water occupies a pivotal role in Islam, and is recognized by Muslims as a blessing that “gives and sustains life, and purifies humankind and the earth”. The Arabic word for water, ma’a, is referenced exactly 63 times throughout the Holy Qur’an and is a recurring topic in many of the sayings of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). Water is not only praised for its life providing and sustaining properties, but it is essential in the daily life of a Muslim. A follower is required to complete ablution prior to the performance of the prayer, five times a day. … Continue reading →

Green Hydrogen in Jordan: Aqaba as an Investment Gateway

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Europe is changing how it produces and uses energy. To reduce pollution, it needs clean fuels, especially for factories, shipping, and heavy industries. Green hydrogen is one of these fuels. This shift is creating new investment opportunities, and Jordan—especially Aqaba—can be part of this growing market. For investors from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Jordan offers a stable and realistic place to invest in green hydrogen projects that can supply Europe. Many countries in the region want to export green hydrogen. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are developing very large projects, but these take time and require massive … Continue reading →

Sustainable Management of Desalination Brine: Best Practices, Pilot Studies, and Innovations

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The management of brine generated by desalination plants has become one of the key determinants of the environmental and economic sustainability of this technology, which is now strategic for global water security. The production of desalinated water has increased significantly over the past two decades, particularly in arid regions of the Middle East, North Africa, Australia, and certain coastal areas of Europe and North America. This growth has inevitably been accompanied by a proportional increase in brine volumes. Globally, desalination facilities are estimated to produce more than 140 million cubic meters of brine per day, exceeding the volume of freshwater … Continue reading →

Ramadan: A Time to Respond to the Earth’s State of Emergency

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This week marks the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan, a month which has been identified as a time to gain taqwa – God-consciousness. This month invites Muslims to attain nearness to Allah (SWT). يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ١٨٣ O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may attain taqwa, Qu’ran, 2:183 However, Ramadan is more than the individual forms of worship. Ramadan embodies a sense of community. A time of gathering in the mosque; of sharing … Continue reading →