We are absolutely thrilled to announce the launch of a new blog that will devote itself to climate change in the Arab world, a looming disaster that has been eclipsed by the rather more dramatic social and political events dominating the region’s discourse.
It’s easy to think that social and environmental issues are separate and that the first should take priority, but as we have pointed out on numerous occasions, people are nought without the land and water that sustain them.
In other words, if we degrade our natural resources on earth, we also diminish our own chances of survival.
The Middle East is incredibly vulnerable to climate change. Not only do we have low-lying coastal areas that could eventually become swallowed up by rising seas, but our deserts are expanding, and our groundwater resources are drying up.
People living in Jordan, Gaza and Yemen understand all too well that water is no longer a given, even though it is the most fundamental need of all life. Gaza in particular is hard hit and researchers estimate that has soon as 2020, it will be unlivable!
And yet, apart from Green Prophet and a few isolated artists and bloggers here and there, very few people in the Arab world have publicly taken it upon themselves to open up dialog and promote policymaking that address the very real and present threat that climate change poses to Middle East stability.
Which is why Mr Batir Wardam, a Jordanian environmentalist whose specialities include natural resource management, environmental policies and communication, has launched a climate change blog written from the perspective of a longstanding government researcher.
Mr. Wardam has 15 years working experience with national academic institutions, NGOs, the government of Jordan and international and regional environmental organizations such as the UNDP, UNEP and IUCN, he writes in his biography.
Currently he is working as the national project manager for the preparation of Jordan’s 3rd National Communication Report to the UNFCCC. A two year project funded by UNDP and GEF, Wardam plans to use it as a springboard from which to communicate climate change developments and policy changes in the region.
“The lack of visionary political leadership, the dominance of core economic and social challenges and the absence of information sources has always crippled this region’s work on climate change,” writes Wardam.
“This blog will not claim to provide all answers but will strive to provide information and a platform for discussion.”
If you want to understand how governments and leaders in the Arab world are preparing for and responding to climate change, watch the Arab World Climate Change blog, where Wardam has already accumulated a body of insider knowledge that would interest any concerned environmentalist in the region.
Image of ancient city of Petra in Jordan, Shutterstock
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
Eco Syndrome
Diagnosis:
ecocide and extinction
in my lifetime and yours.
Cause:
macho men who suppress
women’s intelligence
to brutally over-breed
this swelling population
of profiteering polluters
who promote their wars,
plunder the wilderness
and dump growing tons
of waste on the Earth.
Cure:
safely recycle 100%
and free all women
to join and decide
how many children
they need to birth.
Prognosis:
peace and balance.
—-0—-
There is no credible experiment that proves that the Greenhouse gas effect exists!
Man-made climate change is a frigging lie. Yes there is natural climate change caused by variations in Solar output and variations in the Earths orbit around the Sun.
The astrophysicists are warning us that we are starting into a New Mini-ice age, we have had evidence of this over the last three to five years when you look at the number of deaths caused by people freezing in Europe,Russia, Asia, Australia, and South America
There is an experiment that proves that the Greenhouse gas effect does not exist. This experiment which has been technologically reviewed by Ph. D physicists (at least 4). Ph. D. Chemical engineers (at least 2 at last count) and others Ph. D’s in other fields The experiment is found on the web-site http:// http://www.slayingtheskydragon.com click on the blog tab then on page 3 of 12. . It is titled “The Experiment that failed which can save the world trillions-Proving the greenhouse gas effect does not exist”
The Greenhouse Effect Explored
Written by Carl Brehmer | 26 May 2012
Is “Water Vapor Feedback” Positive or Negative?
Exploiting the medium of Youtube Carl Brehmer is drawing wider attention to a fascinating experiment he performed to test the climatic impacts of water in our atmosphere.
Carl explains, “An essential element of the “greenhouse effect” hypothesis is the positive “water vapor feedback” hypothesis. That is, if something causes an increase in the temperature this will cause an increase in the evaporation of water into water vapor.”
Another important website is www. The Great Climate Clash.com -G3 The Greenhouse gas effect does not exist.
So what has to happen now for science to finally agree it WILL be a real crisis not just might and could be a real crisis?
Science can defeat the deniers and end this costly debate to save the planet by saying their comet hit of an emergency is as real and eventual as they love to say comet hits are. What is stopping them?
We need certainty before we condemn billions of helpless children to the greenhouse gas ovens. How close to the edge of no return from unstoppable warming will the scientists lead us before they agree it WILL not just MIGHT be a crisis for our kids?
Thanks Batir! We’re so excited to see a blog that addresses climate change issues in the Middle East. It is long overdue. Likewise, please let us know what we can do to help you.
Dear Berthold, as you may know about 97% of scientific papers and documented evidence agree that Climate Change is happening and it is a man-made trend. This percentage of agreement among scientists is bigger than the agreement on the big bang. If you chose to be one of the remaining 3% it is your right.
Thanks a lot for this lovely introduction. I hope that the content of my blog will be useful to readers. I am ready for any comment or note that you think should be conveyed.
hi Batir,
It’s great to hear of well informed advocates for greenhouse gase emission-mitigation in the middle east. I’m curious if you consider vertical farms in cities t be part of the solution. Plants and trees synthesize CO2 (a greenhouse gas) into biomass, and together with better public transport could offset some of the pollution caused by traffic. By vertical farms I mean farms on roof tops, inside vacant floors in a building, on balconies and inside offices and apartments.
I’ve presented papers on vertical farming at 2 agricultural engineering conferences. At the American Society of Agri and Biological Engineers we’re organizing a session on technology for urban farms at our annual meeting next year.
I can imagine that some incentives, financial and other can get developers to learn about and implement vertical greenspaces. This is why I applied to be a 1-month consultant for UNDP in Lebanon, on the climate change mitigation project!
Thanks
Hala Chaoui, PhD