Sustainability in the Middle East: Complications and Opportunities

The Middle East region is facing a unique set of natural, operational, political, economic and social challenges in efforts to adopt sustainability. The rapid development and increasing population in these countries have led to an increased consumption of fossil fuels, water, and other non-renewable natural resources, taking a toll on the environment. Though the Middle East countries have significantly contributed to the carbon emissions, over the past decade they have taken positive steps towards addressing the core environmental issues and improving sustainability situation in their respective countries. This article aims at sharing the common challenges and opportunities faced by the … Continue reading

What is Climate Change Disinformation?

For decades, the oil and coal industries and some of their largest industrial customers have conducted a sophisticated and wildly successful multi-million dollar campaign to convince the public that climate change is not a serious threat. The impetus for the climate change disinformation campaign has been to protect industry profits by blocking any action designed to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and other global heating gases produced in burning fossil fuels. Policies such as carbon taxes and carbon caps are intended to limit the release of carbon dioxide by restraining demand for fossil fuels. Fossil fuel companies, however, have … Continue reading

Green SMEs in Middle East: Obstacles and Challenges

With ‘green’ being the buzzword across all industries, greening of the business sector and development of green skills has assumed greater importance all over the world, and Middle East is no exception. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in eco-design, green architecture, renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability are spearheading the transition to green economy across a wide range of industries. Green SME sector in the Middle East has been growing steadily, albeit at a slower pace than anticipated. Regulations One of the major obstacles in the progress of green SMEs in the Middle East the has been poorly-designed regulation. According … Continue reading

Litani River: A Sorry State of the Affairs

The Litani River, the largest river in Lebanon, faces a multitude of environmental problems. Due to decades of neglect and mismanagement, the river has become heavily polluted. The main contributors to the degradation of Litani River are industrial pollution from factories and slaughterhouse, untreated sewage, chemicals from agriculture runoffs and disposal of municipal waste. The pollution has reached such a level where it is obvious to the human eye and causing serious health issues for people drinking its contaminated water. The Litani River is a source of income for many families who use it in summer for many recreational activities; … Continue reading

Industrial Symbiosis Prospects in Jordan

In a developing country, such as Jordan, with a relatively emerging economy and limited natural resources, the industrial sector expends more effort than developed countries and even more than developing countries that are rich in natural resources. In such a situation, industries should look into finding solutions to sustain their existence, which is not confined to keeping their production lines running and making profit, but it goes beyond that, it goes to a whole way of thinking a way that integrates the surrounding environment and that confirms on the industrial sector responsibility toward the environment, the home of its raw … Continue reading

Water Pollution Worries in Developing World

Water pollution has become a major concern worldwide, especially in developing countries where around 3.2 million children die each year as a result of unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation. Access to adequate wastewater treatment facilities in the developing countries is very limited. For example, only 209 of India’s 3,119 towns and cities—less than one in ten—have even partial sewage systems and treatment facilities. As a result water bodies in developing nations are often used as open sewers for human waste products and garbage, which is evident at the Ganges River in India which receives over 1.3 billion liters of domestic waste, … Continue reading

Ways to Counter Water Scarcity in Jordan

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 200m3 per year which is almost one-third of the global average. To make matters worse, it is projected that per capita water availability will decline to measly 90m3 by the year 2025. 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 … Continue reading

How Renewable Energy Benefits Rural Areas

Several years ago, it was coal that brought a great deal of the progress needed in the rural areas. Much have changed over the years. With the advancement of energy technologies, going back to mining and processing coal no longer makes much sense. Politicians who promise to bring back coal-related jobs simply don’t have a grasp of reality. Advanced economies are already turning to renewable sources of energy and it makes sense for developing economies to do the same, unless they’re limited by urgency that they have nothing but cheaper fossil fuels to exploit. Of course, it’s not enough to … Continue reading

5 Benefits of Remote Monitoring Systems

Remote monitoring systems are fueling the proliferation of industrial revolution 4.0, partly thanks to the advancement in the Internet of Things (IoT) and data logger technologies. These systems allow organizations to have a clear, continuous, and holistic view of their processes, personnel, and equipment, as well as monitor environmental conditions that may impact their products and occupational safety. In today’s highly competitive and regulated business environment, organizations must efficiently and consistently monitor conditions, assets and proactively detect problems. The ability to know when conditions are about to go out of range or to have early warning of a potential equipment … Continue reading