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Climate Change Impacts in the Levant

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Many countries in the Levant — such as Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria — are afflicted by water scarcity, weak institutional and governmental resource management, high food import dependency and fragile economies – all coupled with increasing populations and demand. According to the recent reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Arab World will be witnessing hotter and drier conditions with extensive droughts causing severe water shortages that will have dire impacts on agriculture and livelihood. Farmers in the Levant have been addressing climate change adaptation and resilience issues through farming, water management and environmental degradation. Global climate … Continue reading →

Syria’s Crisis and Jordan’s Water Struggle: Lessons Learned

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Jordan has had to accept being labeled a Refugee Country since its independence, as the country has absorbed several waves of refugees from neighboring countries in a region of uncertainty.  It began with the Arab-Israeli Wars in 1948 and 1967, followed by the Gulf Wars in 1991 and 2004, and ended with the most recent conflict in Syria, which added 1.4 million refugees to the country’s population. This posed extraordinary challenges to Jordan’s water sector, which lacked the necessary resources to meet the increased demand. Former UN High Commissioner for Refugees and current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres summed up Jordan’s … Continue reading →

القطاع الزراعي والتجارة الإلكترونية: الامن الغذائي والتنمية المستدامة

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مع دخول التكنولوجيا  الرقمية في جميع مجالات الحياة ،يشهد القطاع الزراعي تطوراً ملحوظاً في السنوات الأخيرة، ومن أبرز هذه التطورات تزايد الإعتماد على التجارة الإلكترونية كوسيلة حديثة لتسويق وبيع المنتجات الزراعية  الطازجة والمصنعة مما يتيح  فرصاً جديدة للمزارعين. ويلعب القطاع الزراعي دوراً محورياً  في دعم الإقتصاد الوطني وتحقيق الأمن الغذائي والتنمية المستدامة، خاصة في الدول النامية. ومع التقدم التكنولوجي السريع بدأت التجارة الإلكترونية تفرض نفسها كوسيلة فاعلة لربط المنتجين بالمستهلكين وتخطي القيود الجغرافية والتقليدية في التسويق والتوزيع والإستغلال الأمثل للموازنات المختلفة والتكاليف المالية الكبيرة في انشاء مواقع جغرافية أو دعم أنشطة وفعاليات مؤقتة مثل البازارات والمهرجانات وغيرها . في المجمل … Continue reading →

An Easy Guide to Green Shopping

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With the advent of December, many festivities, celebrations and seasonal parties are planned globally. These events require feverish shopping leading to usage and wastage of more resources. In addition, December is also famous for the shopping mania that grips people from all walks of life. ‘Shopping’ is certainly one of the most famous ‘indoor sport’ being practiced equally by people of developed and developing countries depending on their lifestyle and budget and is mainly being done by the female gender. ‘Going green’ is a way forward for all of us as it is a lifestyle change including improving our shopping … Continue reading →

Ways to Counter Water Scarcity in Jordan

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Water scarcity is a reality in Jordan, as the country is counted among the world’s most arid countries. The situation has been exacerbated by the large-scale influx of refugees due to the Syrian crisis. The current per capita water supply in Jordan is measly 61 m3 per year which is almost one-third of the global average. Thus, it is of paramount importance to augment water supply in addition to sustainable use of available water resources. How to Augment Water Supply in Jordan? There are couple of options to increase alternative water supply sources in Jordan – desalination of seawater and recycling … Continue reading →

Building Greener Roads: Can Sustainable Infrastructure Reduce Accidents?

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The Middle East Journal of Rehabilitation and Health Studies states that road accidents could become the fifth leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. Researchers compared the impact of road accidents in the MENA region by examining data from 21 countries and about 400 million people. As MENA countries grow and urbanize rapidly, so does the need for smarter, safer, and more sustainable transportation networks. This brings us to ask a compelling question: Can building greener roads help reduce accidents? Below, we’ll discuss how sustainable infrastructure and smart technology are changing road safety, and why it matters for the Middle … Continue reading →

Reducing Single-Use Plastics in MENA Through Sustainable Packaging

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Single-use plastic waste has reached crisis levels, forming a 1.6 million-square-kilometer island of trash in the Pacific — a glaring symbol of consumerism. As vital economic contributors, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries must act swiftly to curb reliance on virgin materials and adopt sustainable alternatives. While recycling efforts and eco-friendly expectations are nudging industries toward change, the transition needs to accelerate. Will MENA lead the charge toward a cleaner future, or continue fueling the plastic problem? A Regional Overview of the Plastic Problem in MENA MENA nations are fortunate to have immense access to plastic feedstocks. They make … Continue reading →

Dugongs in Local Bahrain Waters: Perspectives

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It appears that the Arabian Gulf is a preferred location for the marine dugong as the second largest population of this species, after those located in Australian waters, are found in the Gulf waters. The largest group sightings have been north-west of Hawar Island (between Bahrain and Qatar). From recent studies published in the Journal of Biological Conservation, the local population is around 6,000 dugongs. Just who or what is the dugong? What are Dugongs? The dugong belongs to the taxonomic group referred to as the Sirenian. It is one of four living species belonging to the order Sirenia. The … Continue reading →

Food Security Strategy in Qatar

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Qatar is a water-scarce and arid region which has its own share of demographic and socio-economic problems. The cultivation of food crops is a difficult proposition for Qatar due to scarcity of water supply and limited availability of arable land. The country is vulnerable to fluctuations in international commodity markets because of dependence on imported cereals and food items. The increasing dependence on foreign food imports is leading to a growing sense of food insecurity in the country. What is Food Security? Food security is the condition in which all people at all times have a physical and economic access … Continue reading →

إدارة المخلفات الطبية في دول الشرق الأوسط

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قطاع الرعاية الصحية في منطقة الشرق الأوسط ينمو بوتيرة سريعة جدا، الأمر الذي أدى بدوره إلى زيادة هائلة في كمية النفايات الطبية في المستشفيات والعيادات والمؤسسات الأخرى. وفقا للتقرير الصادر من وزارةا لشئون البيئة المصرية، مصر انتجت 28,300 طن من النفايات الطبية الخطرة في عام 2010. وفي منطقة الخليج، يتم انتاج أكثر من 150 طن من النفايات الطبية والمملكة العربية السعودية وحدها تنتج نصف هذة الكمية تقريبا. هذه الأرقام تدل على حجم المشكلة التي تواجهها السلطات البلدية في التعامل مع مشكلة التخلص من النفايات الطبية في جميع أنحاء منطقة الشرق الأوسط. حجم المشكلة الكمية المتزايدة من النفايات الطبية زادة من … Continue reading →

5 Tips For Making Your Business Operations Sustainable

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The Earth’s condition is getting much worse than in previous decades; weather patterns are changing, temperatures are rising, the ozone layer is depleting, and polar ice caps are melting. Thus, the call for sustainable operations has become a high-level priority for many businesses. Implementing sustainability in business operations offers many benefits. Aside from having a good conscience from observing environmentally-friendly practices, many people may also appreciate the goodness you’re spreading by producing long-lasting, eco-friendly, and recyclable goods. They’ll support your business, purchase your products, and help your brand grow. On top of that, going sustainable also helps you minimize your … Continue reading →

Everything You Should Know About Carbon Footprint

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With rising awareness of global warming and effects of emissions on the environment, corporates and individuals alike are rising to tackle environmental issues. Carbon footprint, the first step to reduce carbon emissions, is the total set of GHG emissions caused directly or indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product. The main reason for calculating a carbon footprint is to inform decisions on how to reduce the climate change impact of a company, service or product. Carbon footprints are measured by undertaking a greenhouse gas assessment. Once the size of a carbon footprint is known, a strategy can be devised … Continue reading →