Soil pollution levels in parts of Basra are 1,200% to 3,300% higher than those typically measured in cities like Toronto or New York, according to new comparative soil data. It's getting into water.
Prof. Pennie Lindeque added that microplastics “act as carriers for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, enhancing their survival and spread… each particle becomes a tiny vehicle capable of transporting pathogens from sewage works to beaches, swimming areas and shellfish-growing sites.”
Iran’s second-largest city, Mashhad, is facing an acute water emergency after dam reservoirs feeding the city fell below three percent capacity, according to Iranian state and local media. Officials warn that without rainfall or improved inflows from neighboring Afghanistan, the city’s supply could soon collapse.
A new EU directive is forcing pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies to pay for removing drug residues from wastewater after a major study found 175 pharmaceuticals polluting Europe’s rivers. The industry is fighting back, but scientists warn that without urgent action, these invisible chemicals will continue to poison aquatic life and seep into our drinking water.
Saudi Arabia, a nation better known for its oil wealth, is rapidly reinventing itself as a marine sustainability player. Positioned between the ecologically sensitive Red Sea and the economically strategic Arabian Gulf, the Kingdom now has its sights set on becoming a global hub for blue economy innovation. As part of this shift, Jeddah will […]
In 2012, Green Prophet sounded the alarm about depleted Gulf fish stocks and weak enforcement in Dubai. Revisit Tafline Laylin’s original piece here: Dubai Finally Gets Serious About Overfishing.
Nearly 20% of Saudi Arabia’s oil powers desalination, with projections rising to 50% by 2030. Experts warn it should remain a last-resort solution due to high energy and environmental costs.
Egypt’s irrigation system has roots in millennia-old techniques, from Aswan Dam regulation to historic canal networks. The current program builds on this heritage, blending tradition with pressure-based systems and digital monitoring. Watch developments on the GERD dam opening this year from Ethiopia as water volume from the Nile that goes to Egypt may drop dramatically.
No Saudi water story is complete without NEOM, the high-profile giga-project selling a future of “100% renewable desalination,” circular brine chemistry, and hydrogen-powered industry. Ambition is welcome—Saudi needs moonshots to decouple water from oil.
Rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and more frequent droughts amplify existing disputes. Water scarcity can fuel unrest, as seen in Iran’s Khuzestan protests, and can undermine fragile peace deals in post-conflict states like Libya and Yemen.
If you’ve ever imagined the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as forever sun-drenched and dry, recent flash floods may challenge that mental image. In just the past year, cities across MENA—from Dubai to Amman—have found themselves underwater after sudden, massive storms. These deluges aren’t freak weather—they’re a warning. And they’re finally forcing governments […]
Iran’s Lake Urmia, once the Middle East’s largest saltwater lake, has shrunk by 90 percent due to mismanagement, dams, and drought. As Tehran pours billions into foreign conflicts, water activists face repression at home. The crisis mirrors Syria’s drought-driven unrest, showing how water scarcity can destabilize entire regions.
Wastewater treatment plants are a hidden source of greenhouse gas emissions, releasing methane, nitrous oxide, and fossil CO₂. A new study calls for smarter monitoring and tailored emission factors. U.S. firms like Jacobs, AECOM, and Black & Veatch are key players in building climate-resilient wastewater infrastructure.
What’s that sinking feeling? In Iran, the very ground under your feet may drop away. The issue here isn’t war. The issue is land subsidence, a human-caused phenomenon that’s been ignored and mismanaged In Iran for decades. Over-pumping of groundwater is causing Iranian land to subside; that is, to sink. Land subsidence causes damage like […]
Each November, a quiet city on Italy’s Adriatic coast becomes the epicenter of the world’s circular economy conversation. What began in 1997 as a local waste management trade show has grown into Ecomondo, a global forum for environmental innovation, resource regeneration, and ecological transition.