Dubai firm to build wind energy storage for Californian consumption? Mexico President Felipe Calderon announced last week at the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, that he intends to support a project by Dubai’s RUBENIUS to provide 1 gigawatt of energy storage in Baja California, that would be used to store wind power to be […]
Huge oil subsidies in the Middle Eastern oil-producing nations mean that residents pay very little for oil. One big problem in getting everyone to reduce use of harmful fossil fuels is that gas is too cheap some places. The worst offenders pay the least for gas, and it has long encouraged grotesque over-consumption. Most of […]
As the Muslim world marks the Islamic new year, Arwa reflects on the past 12 months of environmental action (and inaction) in the Middle East Believe it or not, this busy week saw the start of the Islamic new year of 1432 A.H. Unlike the typical new year celebrations with parties, fireworks and new year […]
Beating out Marrakech, Doha and Amman, luxurious “rich man’s playgrounds” like Al Reem Island cast a shadow on Abu Dhabi’s Best City designation Like its neighboring UAE city, Dubai, Abu Dhabi has recently been before the public eye as a place where a number of interesting and unique environmental projects have either been proposed or have […]
About a month ago, an email dropped into my inbox by the Al Jazeera Doha correspondent Dan Nolan who wanted to cover the story on the water park in UAE. This was the park name ‘Ice Land’ we reported on which was built around the global warming theme despite the huge amount of water it […]
Artificial islands are sinking in the mire: Dubai has to face new environmental woes that come with “progress.” When one thinks of Dubai shopping, economic prowess and cleanliness come to mind. While all three have become staples and synonymous with the Gulf city, the environmental toll that has been unleashed as a result is beginning […]
Will society value motherhood more, when offered by universities as a degree subject? A new university program in Ajman in the United Arab Emirates is claiming to be the first in the world to offer a bachelor’s degree in the “mothering profession.” Claiming that how to mother is no longer passed down from mother to […]
Skyscrapers (even rotating!) and dreams of vertical farms, but not a greenhouse to be seen. The Gulf is growing more and more dependent on imported food. Many Gulf countries are investing heavily in foreign farmlands that are more fertile, chiefly in Africa, but also India and Pakistan, in a bid to secure a steady food […]
The United Arab Emirates has one of the largest carbon footprints in the world. Not surprising considering the small country has an indoor ski hill in the middle of the desert and a number of other Las Vegas-esque attractions (like the IceLand waterpark), but the government has said enough. A new high-tech plan was announced on […]
Little is known about them in the west, but the world’s only vegetarian mammal in marine waters is under serious threat in the Middle East. Dugongs, or sea cows, believed to be the source of mermaid legends, are threatened with extinction within 40 years, and an arsenal of measures, from replacing fishing nets that trap […]
If it works as claimed, the Earthmister will go a long way toward greening the deserts. In the water scarce Middle East, a new type of crop irrigation device may prove to be a boon to growing crops. Called the “Earthmister” this system is said to use up to 80% less water than conventional irrigation […]
Energy-intensive water park in the desert, offers a “home” to displaced penguins. Every now and then, the Middle East comes up with a scheme that is so ridiculously un-eco that we can’t believe someone thought it was good for the planet. See us on Al Jazeera TV talking about hypocritical ideas in the UAE. Some […]
A handy chart to plot which Middle East countries are going nuclear. Ever since oil was discovered in the Middle East around 1950 it has gas been the driving force behind the region’s transformation. But as of late a new focus has emerged based on both an ever increasing demands for electricity but also a […]
Join hands with your fellows in the Middle East on 10-10-10 and drive down atmospheric carbon concentrations. There is no better way to subvert the status quo than to join hands with like-minded people on a similar carbon-reduction mission. Bill McKibben is the brains behind 350.org, an international non-profit organization that seeks to reduce atmospheric […]
Is it the story like the cobbler who doesn’t wear shoes? Government regulated oil prices are forcing Dubai companies to charge lower fees than they pay to import the gas. Now, gas retailers in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates are finding it hard to deal with rising prices and government price controls. Emarat, one […]