Category Archives: Sustainable Development

How to Reduce Food Waste in Ramadan: An Infographic

By | | , ,
3 Comments

The debate surrounding increased food waste generation during Ramadan has become a part of public discourse in Muslim communities worldwide. Almost one-fourth of the food purchased or prepared during Ramadan finds its way to trash bins. The staggering amount of food waste in Ramadan urgently demands a strong public-focused strategy for its minimization, sustainable utilization and eco-friendly disposal.  This infographic will provide more insights into the magnitude of problem and plausible ways to tackle it. Keep reading to know how to make your Ramadan eco-friendly.

فيروس كورونا: فرصة لإعادة النظر

By | | , ,
2 Comments

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

By | | , ,
7 Comments

The coronavirus pandemic has rejuvenated 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 COVID-19 on some of the hot green issues of today, Climate Change and Biodiversity. A few questions come to mind – though I don’t claim to know the answers for: is COVID-19 becoming the nature’s savior from air pollution and GHG emissions? Have we … Continue reading →

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

By | | ,
Leave a comment

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

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

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 →

Water Management in the United Arab Emirates: Key Statistics

By | | , ,
13 Comments

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

By | | ,
Leave a comment

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

By | | , , ,
7 Comments

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

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

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

By | | ,
Leave a comment

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

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

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 →

How Urban Planners Can Contribute to Social Cohesion in Cities?

By | |
1 Comment

While most of the implemented programmes that promote social cohesion are based on people’s ideology, perceptions, and social behaviours, the impact of the physical built environment, that hosts people’s lives and their social interactions, remains less tackled. In the context of urban planning, to what extent do our cities affect the advancement of social cohesion of communities? And could elusive and complex social concepts – like social cohesion – be tackled in a practical spatial planning approach that yields concrete actions? The fostering of social cohesion gained intensive focus in the literature of urban planning and sustainable development studies, especially … Continue reading →