Qatar is a small country in the United Arab Emirates.
UN scientists say rapid coastal development, booming populations and the fossil fuel industry is wreaking havoc in the Arabian Gulf The Arabian Gulf, which is also known as the Persian Gulf, is a semi-enclosed area of sea in the Middle East region that has eight bordering countries from Iraq down to Oman. As a major […]
Get your weekly dose of green news snippets from the region It’s been another great week of green news coming from the Middle East. We hope you managed to catch our interview with Green Hajj expert Dr Husna Ahmed, our coverage of the quake-proof straw houses as well as Tafline’s time at the Desertec conference […]
Gulf States have been drilling oil for decades now. Can we really get them to co-operate at the upcoming climate summit in Durban and re-think oil? Climate negotiations to get world leaders to agree to a fair and binding agreement that will keep climate change in check have been ticking away in the background for […]
Energy subsidies keeping petrol and electricity prices low in the Middle East are jeopardizing the chances of renewable energy projects The Middle East may be unique for many reason- the stunning souks, the hospitality of the people and explosive political mentality- but they are probably known for just one thing: oil. Indeed, Gulf nations have […]
Over the last thirty years, carbon emissions in North Africa and the Middle East (MENA) have doubled with citizens in the Gulf states producing up to 10 times the amount of CO2 as the average global citizen Awareness of the dangers of climate change may be on the increase in the Middle East but action […]
Qatar is currently in the process of issuing new guidelines which mean that all new mosques built in the country will be more environmentally friendly From its humble beginnings during the time of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) to modern incarnations, such as those futuristic designs envisaged for the green mosque of Cambridge, the Eco-Mosque has […]
This infographic by Carboun tells you everything you ever wanted to know about water and the Middle East but couldn’t be bothered to read Building on the blossoming debate on water and its complexities and Carboun’s first infographic on the carbon emissions from the region, comes this second infographic which aims to decode the water […]
Science journalist Mike Shanahan took these pictures of dyed chicks while attending a conference in Qatar. He questions how antics like this impact children’s understanding of nature. Sometimes we come across a story and think “this can only happen in the Middle East.” Renowned science journalist Mike Shanahan, who previously inspired us to consider the […]
Camels are prized by their owners. Did the Qatari breeder kill 15 of his own through negligence, or is the vet to blame? More than two dozen racing camels in Qatar died after their breeder administered a toxic pesticide to their skin. Misfer Safran Al Merri purchased Diazinon from the Al Shahainya veterinary center and then […]
Qatar is hoping to boost its food security by setting up 1,400 agricultural farms covering an area of 45,000 hectares Following the recent news that the United Arab Emirates is slowly embracing organic farming, are more signs that the Gulf States are slowly recognising the importance of food sustainability. Qatar has announced plans to establish […]
After watching a sobering documentary about global warming, Hashim Al Sada has devoted his career to developing solar powered solutions for Qatar. If you can’t beat ’em, do you join ’em or redirect the game? Qatari desert camps are often equipped with a variety of electronics, including refrigerators, air-conditioning units (check out these Dead Sea […]
FIFA is unofficially mulling over plans to change the rules of the game to accommodate Qatar’s high summer temperatures. Concerned that the stadiums will not be sufficiently cool for 2022 World Cup players, FIFA is unofficially mulling over the possibility of allowing three 30 minute thirds instead of two 45 minute halves. This is according […]
An update on the latest climate negotiations in Bonn as well as Middle Eastern countries which made the headlines during the talks Believe it or not, the latest climate negotiations at Bonn – which discussed the future of the Kyoto Protocol which ends in 2012 as well financing adaptation – have come and gone without […]
Outside temperatures often reach into the mid-fifties (celsius!) during Middle East summers. Construction workers feel the heat. Behind every glamorous building in Dubai are hundreds of mostly South Asian workers. Yesterday, during a ten kilometer city hike from the Burj Khalifa to Bur Dubai, the quality of life for nearly half of the Emirate’s population […]
The three winners from the Middle East/MENA region are Tunisia, Bahrain and Qatar in new survey on tourism trends. The recently released 2011 “Travel and Tourism Competitiveness”report by the World Economic Forum, in co-operation with Booz & Company, reveals some interesting dynamics in the global tourism industry, including a shift to the East, with Central and […]