The Tenth Session of World Urban Forum, the world’s most important conference on cities convened biannually by UN Habitat has just concluded. For the first time, it took place in an Arab country, the United Arab Emirates, and the host, Abu Dhabi, had much to contribute to the conversation. Throughout the week-long event, representatives of […]
The high environmental footprint of air travel is something that most people are by now well aware of. For anyone who is wondering where the aviation industry is headed next and how to feel about it, Geoffrey Lipman, one of the key figures in the global travel and tourism industry provides some insights.
Next Wednesday, baristas at Costa Coffee will be pouring free coffee for all United Arab Emirates (UAE) customers who belly up to the coffee bar bearing personal reusable cups.The giveaway celebrates World Environment Day 2019, which falls on June 5th. Earlier this year, the company reduced the price of all its coffee drinks by AED2 […]
Going green doesn’t come naturally to wealthy villa owners in the Gulf. An online real estate company listed a seven bedroom villa in Dubai’s neighboring Emirate Abu Dhabi for $95,300 a year, which amounts to nearly $8,000 a month. Anyone who can afford to spend that much money on rent probably has little incentive to […]
Thinking about working in solar energy and fancy a career change for a year in the Middle East? You will need some experience in the industry and some experience working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but this short term contract job, which may be extended, might be a great way to work on something […]
The first prosthetic leg replacement procedure for an Arabian Tahr has been carried out in Oman by an Omani veterinary team, the first such surgery successfully performed in the Arab World. The procedure is rarely attempted, particularly on a wild animal.
IRENA Innovation Week is a three-day event that unites leading thinkers and policy makers to explore disruptive innovation aimed specifically at accelerating a transition to renewable energy. All members of the media – print, and digital – are invited to register to attend (and report on!) IRENA Innovation Week happening in Bonn, Germany from September 5 to […]
Etihad Airways has opened its new Etihad Eco Residence project in Abu Dhabi, the world’s first purpose-built, LEED Platinum-rated cabin crew accommodation project, offering . The project, resulting from a partnership with Masdar, provides 500 fully furnished one and two-bedroom flight crew apartments contained in 11 buildings at Masdar City. “The opening of the landmark Etihad Eco Residence […]
Got a secret fantasy to join the Mile High Club? We hear that plane vibrations and lower oxygen levels can heighten arousal and deliver more intense orgasms. But have you considered the cost of getting caught in the act? Study up! Whether or not you are arrested for having sex on a plane largely depends […]
Dubai’s first 3D-printed villas will open in April. The project is part of the city’s 3D Printing Strategy which aims to recast Dubai as the world’s 3D printing hub by the year 2030. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched this unique global initiative […]
Plans were announced today for the new Deira Mall in Dubai, which will be the largest in terms of leasable space in the entire United Arab Emirates (UAE). Development of the largest mall in the Middle East presents a blank canvas on which the developers could paint a green masterpiece, but there is not a […]
French architects Ateliers Jean Nouvel designed the complex shell of Louvre Abu Dhabi, a project under development for over a decade before finally opening to the public earlier this month. A new timelapse video from EarthCam captures the eight-year-long construction process from groundbreaking to completion, from the enormous earth moving enabling works to the final mid-air […]
In the wake of the 2016 American presidential election, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) observed an unusual and muscular increase in online political action by people concerned about conservation and the environment. Especially noteworthy is an uptick in financial support to environmental NGOs by citizens willing to back their beliefs with cash.
Umbrella sales in the UAE may soon see a surge in pricing. Researchers at the Masdar Institute have filed for a provisional patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for their discovery – and innovative cloud seeding material that moves them closer to their goal of producing rain on demand. It appears to […]
Because of restrictions on the number of birds he could fly with, a Saudi prince boarded 80 of his own birds onto a commercial flight, each in its own seat. The few spaces not taken by a bird were occupied by humans, one of whom snapped the scene and posted it on social media. It’s not […]
Green Prophet recently posted about 2017 being the Chinese year of the monkey, but the Vice President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has instead declared it the ‘Year of Giving’. H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and UAE VP, has launched the non-profit UAE Food Bank, which will distribute unused […]
Starting January 28, it will be the year of the monkey as per the Chinese calendar, but in the United Arab Emirates it will be time for cheetahs, leopards and many other exotic animals to celebrate. A newly passed law renders possession of “all types of wild and domesticated but dangerous animals” as a pet […]
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is better known for his love of horses than his affinity for sea life. But the Dubai sheik’s new video posted on his junior wife’s Instagram account may change that. The short clip, posted by Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, shows the United Arab Emirates (UAE) VP and Prime Minister and […]
Like Cloud, Big Data and other technological buzzwords, the definition of the Internet of Things (IoT) is often stretched to fit a corporate sales pitch. IoT. But what is it? The internet of things connects ordinary objects to the internet. So now we can Google missing luggage and use an online dating service to match […]
Water is an essential commodity, especially in the arid Gulf states where it surpasses oil in liter-to-liter price comparisons. Now a Danish designer has pushed the wet stuff into the luxury goods category, proposing to hawk his H2O in crystal water bottles shaped like the tallest tower in the world, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Dubai is synonymous with man-made folly. Their Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, stands over half a mile high. They have manufactured islands in the shape of palm trees and continents. You can play tennis atop a skyscraper or ski in a mall. Now they’ve extended their fantastical designs to everyday functionality, with new garbage […]
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) upped the wackiness factor of its portfolio of national mega-projects, announcing plans to build an artificial alp so the country can control its weather. Scientists will investigate if a man-made mountain will increase precipitation in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi in this nation where rain falls just five days […]
Zaha Hadid, the first female architect (and first Muslim) to win the prestigious Pritzker Prize, died yesterday in a Miami hospital after suffering a heart attack while being treated for bronchitis. The Iraqi-born mathematician and architect whose designs were both celebrated and divisive, was 65 years old.
According to a recent report, Sharjah – a city named after its state, one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates criteria set forth by the Arab Council of Tourism Ministers. It must be actively attempting to: increase tourism exchange with other Arab countries, promote the region’s appeal on the international market, sustain natural […]
Green is sort of a buzzword nowadays. People will say they are going green (like Zaha Hadid), but are they as good as their word? Usually not. In the world of Middle Eastern architecture and engineering, rest assured that there are several who are fighting for green choices. Clients often see lots of green – […]