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فيروس كورونا: فرصة لإعادة النظر

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

التغير المناخي وقمة باريس: الإجماع البيئي العالمي

مما لا شك فيه أن قمة المناخ في باريس أظهرت جليا مدى قوة الخطاب البيئي ودبلوماسية البيئة  وقدرتها على توحيد الأمم وقادة العالم والمجتمع المدني لحماية الأمن الأنساني-البيئي.هذا الإتفاق يقتضي إالتزامات من كافة الدول مثل التكيف وتخفيف آثار التغير المناخي ودعم الدول النامية ونقل التقنية النظيفة للحد من حرارة الكوكب بما لا يزيد عن درجتين مئويتين أو أقل لغاية  (1.5  للعام 2050.  لكن هذا الإتفاق بحاجة إلى استثمار (100 بليون سنويا بحلول عام 2020) من دول الشمال الصناعي تجاه العالم النامي حيث أن ما نسبته عشرة بالمئة من الدول الصناعية تساهم بما قيمته خمسين بالمئة من إنبعاثات غاز ثاتي أكسيد … Continue reading

بصمة خضراء… حكاية الكربون ٢/٤

من الانبعاث إلى العزل: فهم التقاط الكربون في ظل تنامي التحديات المناخية، أصبحت مسألة خفض انبعاثات ثاني أكسيد الكربون أكثر إلحاحًا من أي وقت مضى. فالعالم اليوم يقف أمام معادلة معقّدة: الحاجة المستمرة للطاقة، والنمو الاقتصادي، مقابل ضرورة حماية المناخ والأنظمة البيئية. ورغم التوسع في استخدام الطاقة المتجددة، لا يزال الاعتماد على الوقود الأحفوري قائمًا في قطاعات واسعة مثل الصناعة الثقيلة، والطيران، والإسمنت، والبتروكيماويات. هذه القطاعات لا يمكن إزالة الكربون منها بسهولة أو بسرعة، ما يجعل الحلول التقليدية وحدها غير كافية. هنا برزت تقنية «التقاط الكربون» كأداة تصحيحية لإدارة الانبعاثات، لا كبديل عن التحول الطاقي، بل كمكمّل له. فبدل ترك … Continue reading

Environmental Challenges in Saudi Arabia’s Oil and Gas Industry

Despite the efforts of global society and scientists to reduce the dependency on oil and gas as a main source of energy and find new green and renewable energy sources, the oil remains the most effective one. The oil production rate has increased incrementally from the 1970s to the 2020s, which is driven by the demand for oil. A Global Problem The main problem with the dependence on oil and gas as a primary source of energy lies in the huge pollution caused by the industry. For example, oil enterprises and petroleum companies currently release about 2000 tons of chemicals … Continue reading

Food Waste, Ramadan and the Middle East

With the holy month of Ramadan already underway, huge food wastage in the Middle East is again hogging limelight. It is a widely accepted fact that almost half of the municipal solid waste stream in the Middle East is comprised of food wastes and associated matter. The increasing amount of food wastage in Ramadan urgently demands a strong and holistic food management strategy to ensure its minimization, ethical utilization and eco-friendly disposal. Food Waste in Ramadan Middle Eastern nations are acknowledged as being the world’s top food wasters, and during Ramadan the situation takes a turn for the worse. In the GCC … Continue reading

Energy and the Climate: Perspectives for the Middle East

Since energy is an absolute necessity for life on Earth, we have utilized many sources of energy to maintain and improve the lives of people around the globe. The ultimate source of energy is the Sun of course, since all living things on Earth such as plants, trees, animals, and humans need the Sun’s energy. In addition to the Sun, we have utilized other sources of energy such as oil, coal, and nuclear fission.  However, energy has many different forms and we use different forms of energy for different applications. For example, nuclear energy is mostly used to generate electricity, … Continue reading

Integration of Renewable Energy and Agriculture for Sustainable Water–Food Systems

The increasing pressure on water, energy, and food systems in arid and semi-arid regions has accelerated the search for integrated solutions capable of addressing these interconnected challenges. In the MENA region, where water scarcity is structural and climate change is intensifying hydrological variability, the convergence of renewable energy and agriculture has emerged as a strategic pathway toward sustainability. In particular, the coupling of renewable energy technologies with brackish water desalination offers a promising approach to support high-value crop production while minimizing environmental impacts and enhancing resource efficiency. This integrated paradigm aligns with the water–energy–food nexus framework, emphasizing synergies, co-benefits, and … Continue reading

Post-Coronavirus World: Human Development Re-defined

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

From Climate Commitments to National Pathways: Why NDCs Must Evolve

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

Food Waste and the Spirit of Ramadan

In recent years, enormous generation of food waste during the holy month of Ramadan has been a matter of big debate in Muslim countries and elsewhere. As per conservative estimates, around one-fifth of the food purchased or prepared during Ramadan finds its way to garbage bins or landfills. This translates into thousands of tons of precious food which could have been used for feeding tens of millions of hungry people in impoverished countries of Asia, Africa and elsewhere. The staggering amount of food waste generation during Ramadan urgently demands a strong strategy for its minimization, sustainable utilization and eco-friendly disposal. Gravity of … Continue reading

When Water Becomes a Strategic Weapon – Desalination Dependency, Geopolitics and Future of Water Security in the MENA

Abstract Water scarcity is increasingly recognized as one of the most critical systemic risks of the 21st century. Nowhere is this challenge more evident than in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the most water-stressed region in the world. In response to structural freshwater scarcity, several Gulf countries have developed extensive desalination infrastructures that now supply the majority of their drinking water. While desalination has enabled rapid urban and economic development in extremely arid environments, it has also introduced new strategic vulnerabilities by linking water security to energy infrastructure, maritime transport routes and geopolitical stability. This article analyzes the … Continue reading

Mastering Energy Management for a Zero-Carbon Future

Global power consumption is rising at an unprecedented rate. Managing how we generate, store, and consume power is no longer just an operational consideration for large utility companies. It is a fundamental necessity for businesses, industries, and homeowners alike. Effective energy management holds the key to unlocking massive cost savings, ensuring operational resilience, and driving the global transition toward a zero-carbon economy. This guide explores the critical role of energy management, the innovative technologies powering this revolution, and how advanced energy storage solutions contribute to broader sustainability goals. You will learn about the real-world applications of these technologies across various … Continue reading